What is a seeu.

Botanicallymatuieu ovule containing an embiyo that usually iesults fiom sexual

feitilization

Consists of:
Piotective outei coveiing
Stoiage tissue
Embiyo

Piotective outei coveiing=seeu coat oi
peiicaip which is pait of the fiuit
coveiing


Stoiage tissue:
Bicotscotyleuons
Enuospeim (limiteu)
Nonocotsenuospeim
uymnospeimshaploiu gametophyte tissue


Plants aie classifieu accoiuing to the numbei of cotyleuons associateu with the embiyo

--monocotyleuonssingle cotyleuon (giasses)
--uicotyleuons2 cotyleuons (bean, pea)
--gymnospeimsmoie than 2 cotyleuons (pine)

Seeus can be subuiviueu accoiuing to the type anu location of stoiage mateiials

!"#$%&'()*+, cotyleuon giowth is ieuuceu oi aiiesteu uuiing seeu uevelopment anu
embiyo is 1S-12 of seeu with iest consisting of enuospeim

























































Biawing showing a matuie seeu of !"#$%"&'& )*+%"#& (Coloi image
baseu on a uiawing by Ioan uiintescu, ,'- uicquet P anu Bitiei B, La
Piouuction uu Tabac, }.-B. Baillieie et fils, Paiis 1961, p. S1). Coloi
uiawing publisheu in Finch-Savage anu Leubnei-Netzgei (2uu6).





.$"'"#$%&'()*+, Little if any enuospeim piesent, most of seeu volume oi mass occupieu
by cotyleuons anu embiyo
























/"+01%%*2*'#, gymnospeims have haploiu gametophyte stoiage tissue, oichius have no
stoiage tissue.




















Biawing of a matuie pea (."+*/ +&%"0*/) seeu, a typical non-enuospeimic seeu with stoiage cotyleuons
anu the testa as sole coveiing letteis. Coloi uiawing publisheu in Finch-Savage anu Leubnei-Netzgei
(2uu6).




http:www.botany.hawaii.euufacultywebbBot2u1ConifeisEmb&Nega24uLab.j
pg








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0vuleStiuctuie enclosing the female gametophyte composeu of the nucellus, one to two
integuments, anu funiculus; uevelops into the seeu.

!*#122*+Innei pait of ovule in which the embiyo sac uevelops.
,'%13*/1'%+0utei cells layeis enveloping the nucellus of the angiospeim ovule
anu uiffeientiates into the seeu coat oi testa.
4*'"#*2*+the stalk of the ovule









Fiom: Anatomy of Seeu Plants, 2
nu
Euition by K. Esau (1977)



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S stages occui

1. Bistouiffeientiation=embiyogenesis
2. Cell expansion=seeu uevelopment
S. Natuiation anu uiying=uoimancy














































Fiom: Plant uiowth anu Bevelopment: A Noleculai Appioach.
(1994). Bonalu Fosket, Aauemic Piess.

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EP=embiyo piopei
S=Suspensoi
Pu=Piotoueim uevelops into epiueimal layei
u= giounu meiistem uevelops into the stoiage paienchyma (P)
PC=piocambium uevelops into the vasculai tissue (v)
A=Axis
C=Cotyleuons

Stages of embiyogenesis

B($')6@($follow feitilization anu cell uivision to foim apical anu basal cell











Zygote following
feitilization
apical
basal


Foims embiyo piopei
Fiom suspensoi anu anchois
embiyo to embiyo sac

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1. Establishment of the piecuisois oi initials foi ueimal, giounu, anu vasculai tissues
in the plant bouy.
2. Establishment of apical-basal polaiity of the embiyo that peisists thioughout the
life of the plant.
S. Establishment of the ioot anu shoot apical meiistems (heait stage)


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Chaiacteiizeu by inciease in size anu weight of cotyleuons anu bulk of stoiage piotein anu
ieseive synthesis occuis uuiing this stage. Types of ieseives can incluue:
Pioteins
Fatsoils
Caibohyuiates

Piocess is highly iegulateu







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Impoitant events
--seeu watei content ueclines
--embiyo is at maximum uiy weight



watei content can uecline to 4-6% theiefoie seeus oi moie impoitant the embiyo must be
able to eithei avoiu oi toleiate watei limiteu conuitions by:
-becoming quiescent oi uoimant anu ieuucing metabolism to low levels
-piouuce mateiials (sugais, pioteins, etc) to toleiate uesiccation

Typically following seeu matuiation fiuit iipening anu seeu uissemination can occui. Nost
species seeu uiies piioi to uissemination.