Ch – Reproduction in Plants

1. Define Reproduction
Ans - The production of new organisms from the existing organisms of the same
species is called reproduction.

2. Reproduction is not a vital process even then it is necessary. Why?

Ans –
a. The process of reproduction ensures that a plant or animal species does not
disappear from Earth. This process is very important in maintaining stability in
the ecosystem and for the continuation of life on earth.
b. Variations in species and their ability to survive in different environments is the
result of reproduction. This leads to evolution of species.

3. What are the various parts of plants? Write the functions of each.
Ans – Various parts of plants are root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit and seed.
1. Functions of roots
a. Absorb water and important minerals from the soil
b. It also anchors the plant to the soil
c. It binds the soil
2. Functions of stem
a. Helps in carrying the water and minerals from the root to various parts of the
plant and carry food from the leaves to other parts.
b. It also gives support to the plant
c. It bears leaves, flowers and fruits
d. It can be modified to store food
3. Function of leaves
a. Manufacturing of food – Leaf is called the kitchen of the plant. It prepares
food using carbon dioxide and water, in presence of chlorophyll and sunlight.
This process is called photosynthesis.
b. Exchange of gases – Leaves have openings called stomata, which helps in
exchange of gases. During day they take carbon dioxide and give out oxygen
for photosynthesis. During night, they take in oxygen and gives out carbon
dioxide for respiration.
c. Transpiration – The loss of water through stomata. It helps in cooling and
absorption of water and minerals.
4. Function of flower, fruit and seed
a. Flower is the reproductive organ of a plant. Function of flower is to make
male and female gametes and to ensure that fertilization will take place to
make seeds for growing new plants.
b. Fruit protects the seed and helps in seed dispersal.
c. Seed produces a new plant

4. What are the various vegetative parts of a plant?

Ans – Root, Steam and leaves

5. What is the function of flowers in a plant?

Ans – Flower is the reproductive organ of a plant. Function of flower is to make male
and female gametes and to ensure that fertilization will take place to make seeds for
growing new plants.
6. What do the following develop into:
Ans - a) ovule - seed; b) ovary – fruit; c) zygote - embryo

7. Give an example of alga.

Ans - Spirogyra

8. Name the fungus commonly known as bread mould.

Ans – Rhizopus

9. What are the various methods by which plants reproduce? Differentiate between them.
Ans – Various methods by which plants reproduce are asexual and sexual
reproduction.
Asexual Reproduction Sexual Reproduction
1. The production of new plants from The production of new plants from
existing plants without the involvement of existing plants by the fusion of their
gametes is called asexual reproduction gametes is called sexual reproduction
2. Only one parent is required. Two parents - male and female are
required
3. Since no seed formation takes place, Since seed formation takes place, new
new plants are produced from existing plants are produced from existing
plants without seeds plants through seeds
4. New plants are exactly identical to the New plants obtained are not exactly
parents. No variations identical to the parents due to
variations
e.g. Rose, potato, ginger etc. e.g. Wheat, grams, peas etc

9. How do the following plants reproduce asexually? Draw diagrams

wherever necessary showing how they can be propagated?
a) Sugarcane – by vegetative propagation (stem cutting)
b) Potato – by vegetative propagation (stem tuber cutting)
c) Ginger and turmeric - by vegetative propagation by underground stem (rhizome)
d) Bryophyllum - by vegetative propagation by leaves
e) Sweet potato - by vegetative propagation by root tuber
f) Rhizopus – by spore formation
g) Yeast – by budding
h) Rose - by vegetative propagation by stem cutting
i) Dahlia - by vegetative propagation by root tuber
j) Cactus - by vegetative propagation (stem cutting)
k) Spirogyra – by fragmentation

11. What is vegetative propagation? What are the advantages of vegetative propagation?
Ans – It is a type of asexual reproduction in which new plants are produced from roots,
stems, leaves and buds. Since reproduction is through the vegetative parts of the plant. It
is known as vegetative propagation. Advantages are:
a. Plants produced by vegetative propagation take less time to grow and bear flowers
and fruits earlier than those produced from seeds.
b. The new plants are exact copies of the parent plant, as they are produced from a
single parent.
12. a) What is termed as ‘cutting’ in vegetative propagation?
b) What are ‘eyes’ in potato?
Ans – a) A small part of stem/ branch of a plant containing the axillary bud which is
removed by making a cut with a sharp knife is called a cutting.
b) Eyes are axillary buds on potato which grow into new plants during favorable
conditions. They appear as scars on potato.

13. A farmer placed a cutting of sugarcane in soil but it did not develop into a complete
plant. What could be the possible reason?
Ans – Lack of node containing axillary buds. The second reason could be stem was
not cut diagonally/ slant.

14. What is a bud? What are the two kinds of buds that could be identified in a
plant? What do they develop into?
Ans – Bud is a compact, knob like underdeveloped shoot consisting of a shortened stem
and immature overlapping leaves or floral plants. Two types of buds are Terminal buds
and Axillary buds.
Terminal buds – at the end of a steam or branch. They lead to elongation of steam/
branch and may develop into flowers.
Axillary buds – present in the axil of a plant. They grow and produce branches with
leaves. They can give rise to new plants. Axillary buds are also called vegetative buds/
lateral buds.

15. How does yeast reproduce?

Ans – By the process of budding.

16. What are the slimy patches in ponds known as? How do they multiply?
Ans – Slimy patches in ponds are known as Algae. They multiply by fragmentation

17. What are spores? Why can they survive for a long time? What happens under
favorable conditions?
Ans – Spores are asexual reproductive bodies. Each spore is covered by a hard
protective coat to withstand unfavourable conditions such as high temperature and low
humidity. So, they can survive for a long time. Under favourable conditions, a spore
germinates and develops into a new individual.
.
18. Where are the following structures found and what are they?
a) Hypha – A hypha (pl. hypgae) is a long, branching filamentous structure of a
fungus. It is found in fungi bread mould.
b) Sporangium – case in which spores are present. It is found in the fungi and the
ferns
c) Sori – Sori are the spore forming bodies. They are clusters of sporangia. They are
found in the ferns.

19. How do plants such as mosses and ferns reproduce?

Ans – Plants such as mosses and fern reproduce by spore formation

20. Name the male and the female reproductive parts of a flower.
Ans – Stamen is male reproductive part and Pistil is the female reproductive part.
21. What are the various parts of a stamen and pistil? Sketch their diagrams.
Ans – Anther and filament are parts of Stamen. Stigma, Style and Ovary are parts of
pistil.

22. Differentiate between unisexual and bisexual flowers giving examples.

Ans –

Unisexual Flowers Bisexual Flowers

1. Flowers which contain either only
pistil or only stamens are called
unisexual flowers
2. Require pollinating agent in the form
of water and animals.
3. Example: Corn, papaya and cucumber
1. Flowers which contain both stamens
and pistil are called bisexual flowers
2. Do not require pollinating agent.
3. Example: Mustard, rose and petunia

23. a) What is pollination?

Ans - The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a flower is called
pollination.
b) What are the various agents of pollination?
Ans –
1. Insects – Bright colored flowers attract insects, which tend to sit on these
flowers. Pollen grains stick to the insect bodies, and are transferred when the
insect goes to another flower. e.g. jasmine, banana
2. Wind – Wind carries pollen grains that are very light. e.g. grass, maize
3. Water – Acquatic plants release pollen grains into water. Water carries pollen
grains for pollination e.g – Vallisneria and Hydrilla
4. Animals – Animals that are known to be good pollinators of flowers are
humming birds and nectar feeding bats. They pollinate when they keep moving
from one plant to another in search of food.

c) Name the two types of pollination and differentiate between them.

Ans – Two types of pollination are self-pollination and cross pollination.

Self-pollination Cross pollination

1. When pollen grains from the anther of
flower are transferred to the stigma of
the same flower or another flower of
the same plant is called as self-
pollination
2. This does not lead to genetic variation
e.g. Wheat, rice
When pollen grains from the another of a
flower are transferred to the stigma of a
flower on another similar plant is called as
cross pollination.
This leads to genetic variation
e.g. Maize, Strawberry

d) What are the features of insect pollinated flowers?

Ans –
1. Flowers are large, brightly colored and scented to attract insects.
2. Flowers produce nectar
3. Pollen grains are large, sticky and spiny
4. Stigma is deep in the flower
 e) Mention any two-characteristic feature of pollen grain.
Ans –
1. They have a tough protective coat to prevent them from drying
2. They are light in weight
3. They are produced in large number.

24. What is seed dispersal?

Ans – Seed dispersal is the movement, spread or transport of seeds away from the parent
plant.

25. Describe fertilization in plants with the help of a diagram.

Ans –
Transfer of pollen grain from anther to stigma (pollination)

Germination of pollen grains on stigma and growth of pollen tube

Pollen tube carrying the male gamete enters the ovule in the ovary

Pollen tube bursts open and the male gamete is released

Male gamete fuses with female gamete in the ovule

Formation of zygote

Development into embyro

26. Identify the agent for seed dispersal of the following plants and also mention how
their seeds are adapted for dispersal.
Ans –
Plant Method of Seed Adaptation
Dispersal
Drumstick Wind Winged seeds
Maple Wind Winged seeds
Grass Wind Small and light seeds
Aak (Madar) Wind Hairy seeds
Sunflower Wind Hairy Fruit
Coconut Water Fibrous outer coat of
fruit
Xanthium and Animals Have hooks on their
Urena surface/ spiny fruits
Castor and Explosion Bursting of fruit
Balsam

27. How do the following fruits differ from each other? Mango, apple, orange, almonds and
walnuts
Ans – Mango, apple, orange are juicy and fleshy while almonds, walnuts are dry and
hard.
28. Name the plant which has
a) Winged seed – Drumstick, Maple
b) Light seed - Grass
c) Hairy seed – Aak (madar)
d) Hairy fruit - Sunflower

29. Study the diagram and answer the following:

a) Which process is shown in above diagram?

Ans - Budding
b) What is the name given to the bulge?
Ans - Bud
c) Which method of reproduction is this?
Ans – Asexual reproduction by budding
d) Name an organism which reproduces by this process.
Ans – Yeast (unicellular fungi) and hydra (multicellular animal)

30. Study the diagram and answer the following:

a) i) Identify the process taking place and name the end product formed after
the process has taken place.
Ans – The process taking place is Fertilization and the end product is Zygote

ii) What changes takes place in a flower after the process has taken place?
Ans –
1. Zygote develops into embryo
2. Ovule grows to become seed (it contains embryo and food for developing
new plant)
3. Ovary develops into fruit (ripened fruit)
4. All the parts other than the ovary fall off.

b) Describe the structure of a seed.

Ans-
1. Seed coat – It is a protective covering of the seed. It protects the plant from
temperature variations and other external conditions.
2. Embryo – It is the young plant before it emerges from the seed
3. Endosperm – Source of stored food for the development of embryo

c) How do plants benefit from seed dispersal?

Ans - Seed dispersal helps the plants to (i) prevent overcrowding, (ii) avoid
competition for sunlight, water and minerals and (iii) invade new habitats.