Seeds
What is a seed? A seed is a unit of dispersal for the new plant. It provides some protection from injury, drying and some nourishment for the young plant until it can make its own food.
Two types of plant seeds There are two types of plant seeds. These are monocots and dicots.
Types of Seeds A monocot seed only has one cotyledon. A dicot has two cotyledons.
Embryo- The new baby plant. Epicotyls- The part of the plant that is above the region attached to the cotyledons. Hypocotyls- The part of the plant that forms the lower stem.
Parts of the Seed Seed Coat- This is the outer part of the seed and it protects the little plant from damage. Endosperm- This is the food for the monocot plant. Cotyledon- This is the leaf for the plant. It also provides food.
Parts of a Seed Radical- This is a part of the seed that emerges and forms the first root.
Parts of A seed
Where does the seed come from? A seed is a fertilized egg that develops into and ovule. The ovule walls turn into a seed coat. The seed coat is what protects the seed from the environment.
How do they emerge? Hypogeal Emergence- Seed remains in the soil
How do they emerge? Epogeal Emergence- The seed pulls the little plant out of the soil.
Ways to Germinate Seeds The process that the seed grows with is called germination.
What does it take? A seed must have the right conditions to grow. Water Temperature Oxygen Light
What does the seed need? Water- The seed needs to absorb water. This softens the seed coat. Light- some seeds need the light to germinate to activate certain enzymes. Oxygen- This is needed for the plant to make food or what is called respiration.
What does the seed need? Heat (Temperature)- This affects the germination percentage. Germination Percentage- The amount of seeds that germinate to the amount of seeds you tried to germinate. 10 seeds, 9 germinated 9/10= 90% germination.
How to make the seeds germinate Stratification- If a seed coat is too thick, you need to stratify the coat by making the seed go through cooler temperatures. Scarification- this occurs when the seed coat is scared like through a birds or animals stomach.