EMBRYOGENESIS

BIOLOGY PROJECT (2021)

LOYOLA HIGH SCHOOL

Submitted By: Submitted To:
Tahrim Fatima Dr. Sweta Sinha
XII A 70
 Certificate
This is to certify that this Biology project on the topic ‘Embryo
Development in Angiosperms’ has been successfully completed by
Tahrim Fatima of Class XII ‘A’, Loyola High School, Patna under
the guidance of Dr. Sweta Sinha during the academic year 2021-
2022 as per the guidelines issued by central board of secondary
education.

Teacher’s Signature External’s Signature

Acknowledgement
I would like to extend my sincere and heartful gratitude to my
Biology Teacher Dr. Sweta Sinha who has helped me in this
venture and has always been very cooperative and without her
help, cooperation, guidance and encouragement, the project
couldn’t have been what it evolved to be.

I extend my heartful thanks to my faculty for their guidance and

constant supervision, as well as, for providing me the necessary
information regarding the project.

I am also thankful to my parents for their cooperation and

encouragement.

At last, but not the least, gratitude to all my friends who helped
me (directly or indirectly) to complete this project within the
limited time frame.

Tahrim Fatima

XII ‘A’ 70
 Index
S. No. Content Page No.

1. Introduction 5

2. Formation of zygote: Fertilization 6

3. Endosperm development 7

4. Development of Embryo 8

5. Monocotyledonous & dicotyledonous Embryo 9

6. Conclusion 10

7. Bibliography 11
PAGE 1
 Introduction
Plant embryogenesis is a process that occurs after the fertilization of an
ovule to produce a fully developed plant embryo. This is a pertinent stage in
the plant life cycle that is followed by dormancy and germination. The
zygote produced after fertilization must undergo various cellular divisions
and differentiations to become a mature embryo. An end stage embryo has
five major components including the shoot apical meristem, hypocotyl,
root meristem, root cap, and cotyledons. Unlike animal embryogenesis,
plant embryogenesis results in an immature form of the plant, lacking most
structures like leaves, stems, and reproductive structures.

Embryogenesis occurs naturally as a result of single, or double fertilization,

of the ovule, giving rise to two distinct structures: the plant embryo and the
endosperm which go on to develop into a seed. The zygote goes through
various cellular differentiations and divisions in order to produce a mature
embryo.

The end of embryogenesis is defined by an arrested development phase, or

stop in growth. This phase usually coincides with a necessary component of
growth called dormancy. Dormancy is a period in which a seed cannot
germinate, even under optimal environmental conditions, until a specific
requirement is met. Breaking dormancy, or finding the specific
requirement of the seed, can be rather difficult. For example, a seed coat
can be extremely thick. In other cases, seeds must experience stratification.
This process exposes the seed to certain environmental conditions, like
cold or smoke, to break dormancy and initiate germination.

PAGE 2
Formation of Zygote: Fertilisation

After penetrating the degenerated synergid, the pollen tube

releases the two sperm into the embryo sac, where one fuses
with the egg and forms a zygote and the other fuses with the two
polar nuclei of the central cell and forms a triple fusion, or
endosperm, nucleus. This is called double fertilization because
the true fertilization (fusion of a sperm with an egg) is
accompanied by another fusion process (that of a sperm with the
polar nuclei) that resembles fertilization. Double fertilization of
this type is unique to angiosperms. The zygote now has a full
complement of chromosomes (i.e., it is diploid), and the
endosperm nucleus has three chromosomes (triploid). The
endosperm nucleus divides mitotically to form the endosperm of
the seed, which is a food-storage tissue utilized by the
developing embryo and the subsequent germinating seed. 

In flowering plants, formation of zygote takes place inside the

ovule. Zygote undergoes cell division and cell differentiation to
form an embryo. Most zygote divide only after certain amount of
endosperm is formed.

PAGE 3
PAGE 4
Endosperm Development
The three principal types of endosperm formation found in
angiosperms—nuclear, cellular, and helobial —are classified on
the basis of when the cell wall forms.
In nuclear endosperm formation, repeated free-nuclear divisions
take place; if a cell wall is formed, it will form after free-nuclear
division. In cellular endosperm formation, cell-wall formation is
coincident with nuclear divisions.
In helobial endosperm formation, a cell wall is laid down
between the first two nuclei, after which one half develops
endosperm along the cellular pattern and the other half along
the nuclear pattern. Helobial endosperm is most commonly
found in the monocotyledons. In many plants, however, the
endosperm degenerates, and food is stored by the embryo (e.g.,
peanut [groundnut], Arachis hypogea), the remaining nucellus
(known as perisperm; e.g., beet), or even the seed coat (mature
integuments).
Cellular endosperm is the least specialized type of endosperm
with nuclear and helobial types derived from it.

PAGE 5
Development of Embryo
Embryo develops at the micropylar end of the embryo sac where
the zygote is situated. The zygote undergoes a series of mitotic
divisions to form a multicellular, undifferentiated embryo. At
the micropylar end there develops a basal stalk or suspensor,
which disappears after a very short time and has no obvious
function in angiosperms. At the chalaza end (the region opposite
the micropyle) is the embryo proper. Differentiation of the
embryo—e.g., the development of cells and organs with specific
functions—involves the development of a primary root apical
meristem (or radicle) adjacent to the suspensor from which the
root will develop and the development of one cotyledon (in
monocotyledons) or two cotyledons (in EU dicotyledons) at the
opposite end from the suspensor. A shoot apical meristem then
differentiates between the two cotyledons or next to the single
cotyledon and is the site of stem differentiation.

The mature embryo is a miniature plant consisting of a short axis

with one or two attached cotyledons. An epicotyl, which extends
above the cotyledon(s), is composed of the shoot apex and leaf
primordia; a hypocotyl, which is the transition zone between the
shoot and root; and the radicle.

PAGE 6
PAGE 7
Embryos of Monocotyledons &
Dicotyledons

Though the seeds differ greatly, the early stages of embryogenic

in similar in both monocotyledon and dicotyledon.

Monocotyledons:

Embryos of monocotyledon possess only one cotyledon. In the

grass family, the cotyledon is called scutellum that is situated
towards one side(lateral) side of the embryonal axis. At its lower
end, the embryonal axis has the radicle and root cap enclosed in
the undifferentiated sheath called coleoptile. The portion of the
embryonal axis above the level of cotyledon is called hypocotyl.
Epicotyl has shoot apex and a few leaf primordia enclosed in a
hollow foliar structure, the coleoptile.

Dicotyledons:

A typical dicotyledonous embryo consists of an embryonal axis

and two cotyledons. The portion of embryonal axis above the
level of cotyledon is the epicotyl which terminates with the
plumule or stem tip. The cylindrical portion below the level of
cotyledon is hypocotyl that terminates at its lower end in the
radicle or root tip. The root tip is covered with the root cap.

PAGE 8
Conclusion
The zygote produced after fertilisation must undergo
various cellular division and differentiation to become a
mature embryo. At end, stage embryo has five major
component including shoot apical meristem, hypocotyl,
root meristem, root cap, and cotyledon. Unlike animal
embryogenesis, plant embryogenesis results in an
immature form of plant lacking most structures like
leaves, stem and reproductive structures.

PAGE 9
Bibliography

 http://www.sciencedirect.com

 http://www.en.m.wikipedia.org

 http://www.nature.com

 NCERT Class XII Biology Textbook

PAGE 10
thank you.

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