SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF PLANTS Introduction: Presentation 1 of 3

Introduction Plant reproduction is necessary for the survival and perpetuation of plant species. Plants have the capability to propagate or multiply themselves by means of sexual and/or asexual reproduction.

Types of Reproduction Sexual reproduction involves using seeds to produce new plants. Asexual or Vegetative reproduction involves using plant parts other than seeds to produce new plants.

Agronomic and horticultural crops reproduced primarily by seeds include: – Field crops (corn, wheat, rice, sorghum, cotton – Flowering greenhouse and bedding plants – Vegetable transplants

Horticultural crops and plants produced more quickly and efficiently by vegetative means include: – Landscape and ornamental plants (flowering perennials, groundcovers, shrubs) – Turf grasses – Fruit Crops

Sexual Reproduction Seeds are the means by which plants sexually reproduce. Although seeds contain the genetic characteristics of the parent plant, characteristics of plants grown from seeds may vary from the parent plant.

Seed propagation is an economical and widely used method for producing new plants because it allows a grower to produce a large number of plants in a reasonable amount of space or area.

Pollination and fertilization are part of the sexual process that occurs within the flowers or reproductive structures of a plant. These processes result in the formation and development of seeds.

A seed consists of the following parts: tiny plant (embryo), Supply of stored food Protective covering (testa)