Chapter 13: Reproduction in Plants
Plants reproduce in two different ways. Either they use sexual reproduction or they use asexual
reproduction. Their main sexual organ is the flower which produces pollen and ovules necessary
for the reproduction. The differences between sexual and asexual reproduction are as follows:
Sexual reproduction A sexual reproduction
a Sex cells are produced Sex cells are not produced
b Fertilisation takes place Fertilisation will not take place
c Offspring or new born varies Offspring or new born do not vary
d Usually adapts to changing environment Do not adapt to changing environment
e Occurs slowly Occurs rapidly
Asexual reproduction – Most of the time some parts of the plant grow from the parent plant
using mitosis and then they are broken away from it before they grow into a new plant. For this
reason, the new plants become genetically identical. Gardeners often use runners, bulbs and
tubers to produce more plants.
Many people also use cutting system. They cut the plant’s stem with some leaf attached from a
healthy plant and then plant it in damp compost where the roots grow and develop to a new
plant.
Sexual reproduction – Like animals, plants also produce haploid cells. Their flowers consist of
male sex cells called pollen grains and female sex cells called ova. These pollen grains must
travel to the ova to complete pollination.
Pollination– There are two types of
pollination; self and cross pollination.
Self-pollination is the transfer of
pollen grains from the anther to the
stigma of the same flower.
But in cross- pollination the pollen
grains from the anther transfer to the
stigma of a different flower. Pollination
takes place through wind or by insects.
Differences between insect and wind pollinated flowers :
Insect pollinated Wind pollinated
a The stamens are enclosed within the flower so The stamens are exposed so that wind can
that insects must make contact blow away the pollens easily
b The stigma are enclosed within the flower so The stigma are exposed so that the pollens
that insects must make contact can be caught easily
c The stigmas are sticky so pollens attach to The stigmas are feathery to catch pollen
insects grains
d The petals are large to attract insects The petals are small
e The petals are brightly coloured The petals are usually green not very bright
f Nectar is present Nectar is absent
g Pollen grains are larger to stick to the insects Pollen grains are smaller to carry by the
wind
Fertilisation –Fertilisation occurs when a pollen
grain fuse with the nucleus of an ovum. To
transfer the nucleus, the pollen grain grows a
pollen tube, which digests its way through the
tissue of the style and into the ovary. The pollen
tube enters an opening in an ovule. The tip of the
pollen tube breaks down and the pollen grain
nucleus moves out of the pollen tube into the
ovule, where it fertilises the nucleus of the egg
cell.
Seed and fruit formation – After fertilisation, the
ovule becomes a seed and the ovary becomes a
fruit. Different flowers produce different fruits. But in all cases there are some common changes:
1. The zygote develops into an embryonic plant with small roots and shoots.
2. The other contents of the ovule develop into cotyledons which will act as a food store for the
embryo.
3. The ovule wall becomes the seed coat or testa.
4. The ovary becomes the fruit coat.
Dispersal of fruits and seeds – Dispersal avoids the new plants growing near the parent plant
and competing for resources such as light, water or minerals.
Germination – A seed has all the necessary materials for a plant to grow. During germination,
the seed uses the food store to grow its root and shoot. The root (radicle) grows towards the soil
to absorb water and minerals. The shoot (plumule) grows towards the light to photosynthesize.
Once the small plant is able to photosynthesize, germination is completed. Some plants like
orchids have only one cotyledon, so they are called monocotyledonous plants or monocots;
others like beans have two cotyledons, so they are called dicotyledonous plants or dicots.
Conditions for Germination – When seeds are dispersed, they remain very dry and stay alive in
that condition for a long time. To germinate properly a seed needs air, water and warmth.
Investigation: Show the conditions necessary for germination
Equipment: Test tubes, stoppers, cotton wool, seeds, oil, boiled water and fridge
Method:
1. Set up four test tubes
- Tube A had five seeds on wet cotton wool and is in a warm place. This tube is the control.
- Tube B had five seeds on dry cotton wool and is in a warm place.
- Tube C has five seeds covered by boiled, cooled water and is in a warm place.
- Boiling removes the oxygen from the water
- A layer of oil is placed on the water to prevent oxygen passing back into the water.
- Tube D has five seeds on wet cotton wool and is placed in a cold place.
2. Leave tubes A, B and C in
a warm place. Put tube D in a
fridge.
3. Observe the seeds each day
for about one week.
Results:
1. The seeds in test tube A germinate.
2. The seeds in test tube B, C and D do not germinate. These seeds were missing water, oxygen
and a suitable temperature respectively.
Conclusion: This shows that water, oxygen and a suitable temperature are all needed for
germination.