PLANT REPRODUCTION

New plants can grow in several ways; from seeds (sexual reproduction) or by
producing things such as bulbs or tubers (asexual reproduction)

Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction is the production of new individuals or offspring by
the fusion of special sex cells, or gametes.
The process of fusion is called fertilization. Fertilization is the fusion of
the male sex cell with the female sex cell. Together they produce a single cell
that can grow into a new plant. When a pollen grain lands on the ripe stigma,
it grows a long pollen tube through the style to the ovary. The male nucleus
travels down the tube until it reaches an ovule inside the ovary. The male
nucleus from the pollen grain fertilizes the female sex cell in the ovule. After
fertilization, the ovule develops into a seed which begins to grow. The petals
and stamens of the flower fall away. The ovary is left and this swells to form
the fruits as the seeds grow.
There are two types of fertilization; External fertilization is the process
that occurs outside the body as the gametes are shed directly into the
environment; and internal fertilization occurs when male gametes are
placed inside the female’s body and move towards the female gamete. The
result of fertilization is called the zygote.
Since sexual reproduction generally involves two parents, and
meiosis occurs at some stage of the life cycle of sexually reproducing
organisms, the offspring are genetically different from the parents and from
each other. Thus sexual reproduction increases the genetic variability of a
species.

Asexual Reproduction
Asexual reproduction refers to the production of offspring by a single
parent without fusion of gametes.
The offspring are usually identical to their parents
The advantage of asexual reproduction is that it takes place very
rapidly and this is beneficial when environmental conditions are favorable.
The main disadvantage of asexual reproduction is that the offspring are more
likely to be killed by outbreaks of disease. They do not have the genetic
variation needed to fight diseases.
Some new plants can be produced without seeds. Asexual
reproduction in plants is also called vegetative reproduction.

A) SPORULATION/ SPORE FORMATION

 A spore is a unicellular reproductive unit that is produced by
bacteria, protoctistant, fungi and green plants.
 Spores are light and easily dispersed, and are produced in large
numbers.

B) BUDDING
 New individuals are produced as outgrowths (buds) of the
parent. When the buds reach a certain size, they are released
as elf sufficient individuals.
 Budding takes place in the Cnidarians (Hydra), and in the
unicellular fungi.

C) VEGETATIVE REPRODUCTION
 Defined as the development and production of independent
plants from vegetative parts of the same plant. These vegetative
structures are often specialized for the purpose of asexual
reproduction.
 Vegetative structures which also function as storage organs are
called perennating organs.
 Organs of vegetative propagation include bulbs, tubers,
rhizomes and corms.
 A bulb is a modified underground shoot which has a short stem
and fleshy storage leaves.
 A tuber is an underground stem or roots which stores food and
can propagate.
 a) an example of a stem tuber is Solanum (potato), while
the Dahlia plant produces root tubers.
 A rhizome is a swollen, underground stem which has distinct
nodes and internodes.
a) it usually bears scale leaves, buds and a few adventitious
roots.
b) Rhizomes are produced by Zingiber (ginger), turmeric, ferns
and water lilies.
 A sucker is a lateral branch developing from the underground
part of the stem.
a) it grows obliguely upwards and gives rise to a new plant. The
new plant forms roots at the point where it separates from
the mother plant.
b) Plants which propagate from suckers include the dagger
plant, pineapple, banana and chrysanthemum.
 Other organs of vegetative propagation are:
a) Runner- slender branch, with long internodes, creeping on
the ground with roots formed at the nodes.
Ex: strawberry, pegaga and certain grasses.
b) Stolon- branch from base of stem which bends and grows
into the ground. Not a storage organ.
Ex; gooseberry, black currant
c) Corm- fleshy underground stem, rounded in shape, bears
one or more buds.
Ex; yam, saffron
d) Swollen tap root
Ex; carrot, radish
e) Cuttings
 stem cuttings- ex; Hibiscus
 Leaf cuttings- ex; Begonia