SEED
Embryo inside a seed remains inactive or dormant till it gets
favourable conditions to germinate. This condition is called
dormancy. Seed is a ripened ovule with a dormant embryo that
grows into a new plant.
BASIC STRUCTURE OF SEED
1. Seed coat
- Outer protective covering
- Outer testa (thick, very hard and dry)
- Inner tegmen
Hilum: distinct oval scar on the concave side of the
seed. It represents the point where the seed as ovule
remains attached to the placenta in the ovary.
Micropyle: small opening, close to hilum. Pollen tube
enters the ovule through this.
1. Seeds absorb water mainly through the micropyle.
2. Ensures diffusion of respiratory gases.
2 . Embryo
The soft and fleshy part seen after removing the seed coat is embryo
5 parts of embryo: -
1. Cotyledons- 2 thick leafy structures attached to the embryonal
axis; store food for embryo
2. Radicle – primary root
3. Plumule- shoot
4. Hypocotyl – between cotyledon and radicle
5. Epicotyl – bears the plumule at its top.
- Radicle, plumule, epicotyl and hypocotyl form the embryonal
axis.
DICOT AND MONOCOT
SEEDS
- Based on the number of cotyledons
a. Dicotyledonous or dicot seeds: two
cotyledons (pea, bean)
b. b. Monocotyledonous or monocot seeds: one
cotyledon (maize, rice, wheat)
ALBUMINOUS AND EXALBUMINOUS SEED
Albuminous seed Exalbuminous seed
1. Presence of endosperm 1. Absence of endosperm (non-
(endospermic seed) endospermic seed)
2. Food is stored in the endosperm. 2 . food is stored in the cotyledons
3. Papery cotyledon 3 . fleshy cotyledon
e.g: castor, poppy, custard apple e.g: pea, mango, mustard
(albuminous dicot seeds) (exalbuminous dicot seeds)
wheat, maize, rice (albuminous Vallisneria, orchids (exalbuminous
monocot seeds) monocot seeds)
BEAN SEED
- Dicot seed
- Kidney shaped
- Outer testa (hard brownish covering)
- Inner tegmen (thin and pale yellow covering)
Seed coat protects the inner part from injury and infection
- Hilum : whitish scar
- Micropyle: opening
- 2 fleshy cotyledons store food for embryo
- Radicle: root
- Plumule: shoot
MAIZE GRAIN
- Seed coat is fused with pericarp
- Yellowish
- Consists of 2 unequal portions divided by a thin layer called
epithelium
- Bigger portion: endosperm (stores food in the form of starch)
- Outermost layer contains only protein (Aleurone layer)
- Cotyledon is also called Scutellum.
- Plumule and radicle enclosed in a sheath.
- Plumule lies at the upper end and radicle at the lower end.
- Sheath covering the plumule is called coleoptile
- Sheath covering radicle is called coleorhiza.
Characteristics Dicot Seed Monocot Seed
Cotyledons 2 1
Endosperm Absent present
Embryo Large Small
Plumule leaves Folded Rolled
Plumule Large Very small
Hilum and micropyle Visible Not visible
Seed germination is the process by which the food reserves present
in a seed are used up by the embryo and it starts growing into a
seedling.
- Freshly formed seed does not germinate even if the conditions
are favourable.
- The seed must pass through the dormancy period where in it
undergoes physiological changes.
CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR
GERMINATION
1. Water
- Seed swells and seed coat softens and gets ruptured. This
allows the radicle to come out and form the root system.
- It speeds up the metabolic activities by activating enzymes.
They act upon the stored food materials and change them into
diffusible form.
2. Suitable Temperature.
Physiological processes in a germinating seed can occur only at a
suitable temperature
Optimum temperature: 25 degree Celsius to 35 degree Celsius.
3. Oxygen
- During germination, rapid cell division and cell growth takes
place.
- Needs energy which comes by respiration.
- More oxygen is needed during germination.
SEEDLING
o A stage in the growth of a plant from a seed.
o Its leaves start preparing food for the young plant.
o Young plant continues to develop into a mature plant.
VIVIPARY (GERMINATION)
- Found in mangrove plants (Rhizophora and Sooneratia)
- Seed germinates inside the fruit and are nourished by it while
the fruit is still attached to the parent plant.
- The embryo grows not only out of the seed but also out of the
fruit and projects from it in the form of a green seedling
displaying root and hypocotyl.
- Due to the increasing weight, the seedling separates from the
parent plant and falls on the mud or in water sand soon
develops lateral roots.
EPIGEAL GERMINATION
- Cotyledons come above the surface of the soil into the air and
light due to the rapid growth and elongation of the hypocotyl
- Cotyledons turn green and make food
- Food is utilized by growing stems
- Finally dry up and fall off as the foliage appears.
- Seedling becomes a independent plant.
e.g: Bean, Gourd, Castor, Cotton and Tamarind.
HYPOGEAL GERMINATION
- Seed remains inside the soil.
- Epicotyl elongates faster than the hypocotyl so that the
cotyledons remain inside the soil.
- E.g: gram, pea, maize and rice
GERMINATION IN BEAN SEED
- Seed absorbs water and swells.
- Seed coat splits
- Radicle forms tap root
- Hypocotyl grows and forms a loop
- Straightens to bring cotyledons above the ground.
- Germination is epigeal.
- Cotyledon becomes green. They fall off as the foliage or true
leaves appear.