DEPARTMENT OF PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SCIENCES

VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Visca, Baybay City, Leyte 6421- Philippines

Pbre11: agricultural Botany

Seeds

Ms. MJ Vasquez Charlene P. Santiago

Teacher Student

SY 2019-2020
 Exercise 8

Seeds

Introduction

A seed is a fertilized ovule that contains the plants embryo. Given the appropriate growth
conditions, it will become the new plant. Thus, it is also regarded as the propagating organ
particularly of gymnosperms and angiosperms. Gymnosperms do not have ovaries and therefore
produce naked seeds. Angiosperms produce seeds that are encapsulated by a protective outer
covering (seed coat) and food reserves (endosperm) as nutrient source of the growing embryo.
Some plants do not produce seeds. The cotyledons of the plant embryo within the seed is a basis
in classifying angiosperms. Dicots are angiosperms that have two cotyledons. Monocots are
those with only one cotyledon.

Objectives:

a) To identify the basic parts of a seed

b) To differentiate monocot seed from a dicot seed
c) To compute the percent seed germination
d) To identify the different seed dispersal mechanism in plant.

Materials:

40 pcs. Mungbean seeds

40 pcs Corn Seeds

4 pcs Cloth/ paper towel

Distilled Water

Pre germinated: Dicot and Monocot Seed (coconut/ munbean/jackfruit or corn)

Methods:

1. Seed Germination Test:

a.) Rag Doll Method
1. Divide each type seed into 2 groups (10pcs per batch)
 2. Layout 10 pcs of the same seed at the bottom of the cloth or paper towel. Observe
proper spacing of each seed to avoid over lapping.
3. Roll the cloth w/o disrupting the seed arrangement
4. Sprinkle it with distilled water to moisten the set-up.
5. Repeat step 2 to 4 for the remaining batches.
6. Keep the 4 rolls inside a plastic container to avoid contamination.
7. Repeat step 4 every other day of if necessary to maintain moisture.
8. Incubate the set at room temp. until the seed germinates.
9. Compute for percent seed germination.
b.) petri dish method
1. place enough tissue paper just to cover the bottom of the petri dish.
2. Place 10 of each type. Observe proper spacing to avoid overlapping.
3. Add distilled water to moisten the set up.
4. Incubate the set up at room temp.
5. Repeat step 3 if necessary to maintain the moisture content of the set up.
6. Compute for seed germination

Results and Discussion:

Table 1: Percent Germination

Replication No.of Germinated No. of seeds x100 Percent

Seeds Sown Germination
Rag Doll Method

R1- corn 3 10 x100 30

R2- corn 6 10 x100 60
R3- corn 2 10 x100 20
R4- corn 2 10 x100 20
R5- corn 3 10 x100 30
R6- corn 4 10 x100 40
Average 33.33/ 33 seeds

Petri Dish Method

R1- corn 4 10 x100 40

R2- corn 1 10 x100 10
R3- corn 4 10 x100 40
R4- corn 4 10 x100 40
R5- corn 9 10 x100 90
R6- corn 5 10 x100 50
 Average 45 seeds
Rag Doll Method

R1- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100

R2- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100
R3- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100
R4- Mungbean 11 20 x100 55
R5- Mungbean 19 20 x100 95
R6- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100
Average 91.6/ 91 seeds
Petri Dish Method

R1- Mungbean 19 20 x100 95

R2- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100
R3- Mungbean 15 20 x100 75
R4- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100
R5- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100
R6- Mungbean 20 20 x100 100
Average 95 seeds

Table2. Mechanism of Seed Dispersal of some Plants

Common Name Scientific name Mode od Seed Dispersal

Cogon Imperata cylindrical Wind (anemochory)
Water Lily Nymphaea sp. Water and animals
Popping Pod Ruellia tuberosa Ballistichory
Amorsico Andropocon aciculatus Wind, water and animals
Burgrass or Cauit-cauitan
Garden pea Pisum sativum Wind, water and animals
Rice Oryza sativa Wind, water and animals
Narra Pterocarpus indicus Wind, water and animals
Fern Wind, water and animals
Guava Psidium guajava Wind and animals

Discussion:

The results shown in Table1 are the results of the seed germinated using the rag doll and
petri dish method. The corn planted using the rag doll method, the results shows that the highest
seed grown is only 6 seeds and the lowest is 2 and got the total of 33 seeds germinated out of 60
seeds sown. While in the petri dish method the highest seed germinated is 9 and the lowest is 1,
and the total seeds germinated are 45 out of 60 seeds sown. On the second sample is the
mungbean, using the rag doll method the highest seeds germinated is 20 and the lowest is 11
seeds and the total seeds germinated are 96 out of 120 seeds sown. On the petri dish method the
highest seeds germinated is 20 seeds and the lowest is 15 seeds and the total seeds germinated
are 95 seeds out of 120. With this results shown. We can say based on the results that using the
petri dish method are better that using the Rag doll method. It is because in petri dish method the
plants can still able to get the carbon dioxide and water it needed while in rag doll it is hard for it
to get these, because it is folded many times. And the plants growth is trapped in the rag doll
method. And in table 2, shown are the scientific names of plants and the mechanism of seed
dispersal on plants. Seed dispersal is the mechanism by which plant seeds are transported to new
sites for germination and the establishment of new individuals. And there are a lot of factors that
affects seed dispersal, like wind, water and animals. Animals disperse seeds in several
ways. First, some plants, like the burr at left, have barbs or other structures that get tangled in
animal fur or feathers, and are then carried to new sites. The kinds of seeds which are often wind
dispersed are smaller seeds that have wings or other hair-like or feather-like structures. Many
aquatic plants and plants that live near water have seeds that can float, and are carried by
water. Plants living along streams and rivers have seeds that float down stream, and therefore
become germinate at new sites. This is the different seed dispersal.

Conclusion:

The basic parts of seeds are the embryo, the endosperm and the seed coat. The embryo is
the most important part of a seed which starts to develop right after fertilization. It is consists of
precursor tissues of leaf, stem and root essential for the development of new plant. The
endosperm is a source of stored food for the germinating embryo, consisting primarily of
starches. The seed coat consists of one or more protective layers that enclose the seed. Monocot
seeds have only one seed leaf inside the seed coat. It is often only a thin leaf, because the endosperm to
feed the new plant is not inside the seed leaf. Dicot seeds have two seed leaves inside the seed coat. The
different seed dispersal is mostly by wind, water and animals. To compute the percent seed germination
you just have to divide the number of seed germinated to the total number of seed sown and multiply by
100.