Topic 3: Seed Dispersal (Part 3 of 3)

From Seed to Fruit  Once pollinated the egg forms into a seed  Inside the seed is an embryo (tiny living plant) and a food reserve  The embryo and food reserve is protected by a seed coat

Fruit  The growing ovary of the plant that swells and protects the developing seeds of a plant Peaches Watermelons Apples Raspberries Cherries Cucumbers Green beans Tomatoes Pumpkins Cotton Apricots Peas Oranges Acorns walnuts

Seed Dispersal  Is the transport of seeds away from the parent plant  Ex.  Tumbleweeds  winds  Coconuts  water  Seeds  birds/bats (feces)  Burdock  hitch a ride on animal coats  Lodgepole pine  fire  Milkweed seeds  wind

Spreading and Harvesting Seeds in the Field  Field crops (wheat, canola, barley) are usually harvested in 2 steps 1. Swather cuts plants leaving a stubble that is approximately 10-20cm  Provides a barrier that aids in further ripening of the seed 2. Combine separates seed from the rest of the plant (straw)

Germination  Once seed is dispersed, it can stay dormant until right growing condition  Germination is the development of a seed into a new plant