WHAT IS A SEED?
Just like humans, plant reproduce in order to ensure continuity and survival in the
environment. They do this through the production of seeds which can only be formed
when fertilization occurs. During fertilization, pollen grains from the anther falls on
the ovule found in the stigma. Anther and stigma are both found in the flowers that
plants bear.
A seed is an ovule that has been fertilized by a pollen. A seed contains the genetic
material (acquired from both the pollen cell and the ovule) and has the potential for
producing more plants of its kind.
You can think of a seed like a cell in your body; the basic unit of plant/food
production or first link in plant/food production
PARTS OF A SEED
Physically, seeds of different flowering plants may look different in terms of colour,
size, shape etc. but essentially, most seeds of dicots have the same parts and
functions and that of monocots equally have the same parts and function. Below are
the three major parts of a seed
1. Seed coat: this is the outer hard cover of the seed. It protects the seed from
possible damages from the environment and from animals
2. Endosperm: this is the part of the seed that is formed from the integuments of
the ovule. It contains some stored food or nutrients which the seed will need
to when growing into a plant
3. Embryo: this is the part of the seed that is formed from the zygote. The zygote
is the outcome of the fusion between the pollen cell and the ovule. You can
think of the embryo as a “miniature plant”. This is because the parts that will
grow into the seed leaves until true leaves are developed (cotyledons), the
stem (hypocotyl) and the roots (radicle) are all embedded in the embryo.
Just like humans, plant reproduce in order to ensure continuity and survival in the
environment. They do this through the production of seeds which can only be formed
when fertilization occurs. During fertilization, pollen grains from the anther falls on
the ovule found in the stigma. Anther and stigma are both found in the flowers that
plants bear.
A seed is an ovule that has been fertilized by a pollen. A seed contains the genetic
material (acquired from both the pollen cell and the ovule) and has the potential for
producing more plants of its kind.
You can think of a seed like a cell in your body; the basic unit of plant/food
production or first link in plant/food production
PARTS OF A SEED
Physically, seeds of different flowering plants may look different in terms of colour,
size, shape etc. but essentially, most seeds of dicots have the same parts and
functions and that of monocots equally have the same parts and function. Below are
the three major parts of a seed
1. Seed coat: this is the outer hard cover of the seed. It protects the seed from
possible damages from the environment and from animals
2. Endosperm: this is the part of the seed that is formed from the integuments of
the ovule. It contains some stored food or nutrients which the seed will need
to when growing into a plant
3. Embryo: this is the part of the seed that is formed from the zygote. The zygote
is the outcome of the fusion between the pollen cell and the ovule. You can
think of the embryo as a “miniature plant”. This is because the parts that will
grow into the seed leaves until true leaves are developed (cotyledons), the
stem (hypocotyl) and the roots (radicle) are all embedded in the embryo.
