Bs Botany

[7th
Semester]

Seed Size VS Seed

Weight
This assignment comprises of introduction and evolution of
seed size, factors causing variation in seed size and weight,
effect of seed weight on seedling growth, effect of seed weight
on root/shoot, tolerance against insects, effect of seed size on
survival rate. Survival pressure and types of seed, comparison
between large and small seeds.

SHANZA KANWAL [022]

RIMSHA [014]
 SEED SIZE AND SEED WEIGHT

Introduction

Seed size is an important life-history trait for plants because it directly affects
seedling establishment, growth, survival, and the size and fecundity of adult plants.
Based on resource allocation principles, it is generally assumed that a trade-off
between seed size and number exists, as the distribution of limited resources among
several seeds involves the reduction in the amount of resources invested in each one
of them.

The seed number/size trade-off has received much attention from ecologists, mainly
because the total reproductive output of plants is determined by the combination of
both the quantity and quality of their seeds. Seed size is an important
component in plant fitness. It is thought commonly to be an important focus
of selection on the life histories of plants, because the likelihood of dispersa l,
germination and survival can all depend on seed size.

Evolution of Seed Size

Since the evolution of the first seeded plants 370 million years ago, the largest
change in seed size was found to be at the divergence of gymnosperms and
angiosperms 325 million years ago, but overall, the divergence of seed size appears
to take place relatively consistently through evolutionary time. Seed mass has been
found to be phylogenetically conservative with most differences in mean seed mass
within types of seed dispersal (dispersal modes) being phylogenetic. This type of
information gives us clues about how seed size evolved.

Dating fossilized seeds of various sizes and comparing them with the presence of
possible animal dispersers and the environmental conditions of the time is another
technique used to study the evolution of seed size. Environmental conditions appear
to have had a larger influence on the evolution of seed size compared to the
presence of animal dispersers.

Factors causing variation in seed size and weight

Seed size can show considerable variation within population and this
variability is often associated with variability in seedling size.
Some species show variation in seed size. Several studies have shown that
species variation in seed size can be associated with time to germination
viability and growth.

Many factors such as

 Competition among individual seeds for limited resources
 Time of ovule
 Fertilization position of an ovule within the seed parent differences in
habitat,
 Micro habitat,
  Genetic control and
 Tradeoff between seed size and seed number may be responsible for
this variation.

Effect of seed weight

1. Effect of seed weight on seedling growth

Seed weight effects on the seedling growth. Large seeds produce more
vigorous and competitively superior seedling as compare to small seeds.
Germination rate of large seeds is high as compare to small seeds.
Example
Seeds are collected from a population of Argopyron psammophilum on the
sand dune system along Lake Erie. Seed size varies from 0.8 -5.1 mg per seed.
Total germination of seeds / seedling growth was not effect ed by seed size,
but large seeds germinated significantly faster than did small seeds.

2. Effect of seed weight on root/shoot

Seedling coming from large seeds having larger shoot and root, rather than
the seedling coming from small seeds.
Example
As mustard seed is the example of small size seeds and mango seed is the
example of large size seeds, the height of mustard bushes reach an average
maximum height of between 6-20 feet and having feeble root system.
Although, mango tree attained the height of 50-60 feet and having long and
dense root system.

3. Seed size and tolerance against insects

Seedling of large seeds are more tolerant to insects and other environmental
factors like low or high temperature, dry environment, drought or any other
physical damage than small size seed species.

Example
Experiment was take place on summer turnip rape [Brassica rapa], to see its
tolerance to flea beetles [Alticini]. Results indicate that seedlings of medium
and large seeds are more vigorous and tolerant to flea beetle damage than
seedling of small seeds.

4. Effect of seed size on survival rate

Small seeded plants have short life span, with the rapid turnover linked to
more rapid evolution. However large seeded species have long life span and
better able to survive hazards including deep shade, drought, physical
damage and presence of competing vegetation. Large seeded species hold a
bigger percentage of seed reserves which are available to support respiration
or repair damages.
 5. Survival Pressure
No single event, such as large divergence in the phylogeny of seeded plants,
is seen as the cause of major divergence in seed size. Rather, small events
are thought to occur fairly consistent through time with minor evolutionary
influence.
Shade
Species growing in shaded environments tend to produce larger seeds and
larger seeded species have higher seedling survivorship in low -light
conditions. The increased metabolic reserves of larger seeds allows the first
shoots to grow taller and leaves to grow broader more quickly in order to
compete for what little sunlight is available. A few larger seeded trees that
occur in closed canopy wooded areas such as old-growth forests are the
many oak species, hickory, pecan and butternut trees.
Drought
Small seeds are seen to be predominant in arid, desert environments. In
some desert systems the vast majority of annual seeds weight between zero
and two milligrams. Small seed size may be favorable adaptation in desert
plants for a couple reasons. Small seeds have been found to have the ability
to store in dry environments for several years without desiccating. Also, in
many cases, desserts have rainy seasons that provide opportunity for small
seeds to germinate under conditions with ample external resources available.
Due to the great importance that seeds germinate when water is available,
seeds often sense the presence of water and use it as a cue to germinate.
Also, many desert plants have evolved the ability to produce a fraction of
their seeds to not germinate at the same time as the rest of the plant's seeds
as a safe guard known as bet hedging in which if the majority of a plant's
seeds germinate at one time and then die due to rain followed by drought,
the potential for the plant to have successful offspring is not completely lost.
Predation
Granivors (those that feed on seeds and grains) can selectively eat either smaller or
larger seeds, favouring seeds on the opposite side of the spectrum. Commonly,
granivorous predation by rodents, which selectively feed on larger seeds, [leads to
higher fitness of smaller seeds (e.g. kangaroo rats in desert systems selectively
forage on the larger seeds in the seed bank. Similarly, sometimes smaller seeds are
selectively preyed upon such as with Australian granivorous ants which are only
capable of carrying smaller seeds.

Seedling-seedling competition
Competition between seedlings for limited resources can result selective pressures
on seed size. In dense mats of competing seedlings, those from larger seeds have
higher survivorship due to their ability to more quickly grow taller shoots, broader
leaves, and thus out-compete smaller seeded seedlings for resources. Germinated
seedlings from larger seeds could also possibly outlive the smaller seeded seedlings
which cannot live as long off their stored energy reserves.

Optimal dormancy depth

If there is a selective pressure favouring the survival of seeds buried deeper in the
soil, larger seed size may evolve because of their larger reserves of energy required
to emerge from further depths. One such pressure causing this type of selection is
the recurrence of fires (e.g. in prairies the heat from a fire can damage or kill seeds
near the surface of the soil but leave seeds buried deeper unharmed).

Dispersal
The smaller the seed, the further they can disperse, which can be beneficial for
avoiding competition with siblings and the parent as well as having better chances of
some of the seeds dispersing into suitable habitat. Dispersal may also lead to greater
fitness in future generations if further dispersed individuals are more likely to cross
pollinate with an unrelated individual, leading to greater genetic variation. The type
of seed dispersal evolved has been highly correlated to seed size in floras across the
world. In general, seeds smaller than 0.1 mg are often unassisted (wind dispersed),
seeds larger than 100 mg are often dispersed by vertebrates or by water, and seeds
between 0.1 and 100 mg are dispersed by a large variety of dispersal modes
including dispersal by a great variety of animals.

Types of seed
According to the seed size vs seed weight, the seed is classified into three
categories.
1. Small size Seeds
 Their weight is less than 5g.
 Small seeds develop quickly or having rapid growth due to their
general size advantage.
 They have short life span, with the rapid turnover linked to more rapid
evolution.
 They have better chance of dispersal.
 Small seeds can thrive in drier, less nutritious soils.

Examples
 Chia seed
 Hemp seed
 Mustard seed
 Nigella seed
 2. Maximum size seeds
 Their weight is 5-8g.
 Medium sized seeds having dispersal success through scatter-hoarding
rodents.
 Germination rate is between small size and large size seeds.
 They also have survival rate between small size and large size seeds.
 Required soil with good nutrients quality.
Examples
 Date seeds
 Peanut seeds
 Sunflower
 Almond
 Cowpea
 Flax seeds

3. Large Size Seeds

 Their weight is greater than 8g.
 Large seeds developed slowly due to large size.
 Large seeds have large life span as compare to small seeds plants.
 Large seeds grow in richer soils that have larger water holding
capacity.
 They have less chance of dispersal.
Examples
 Mango seeds
 Peach seed
 Avocado seeds
 Fatra seeds
 Mora seeds

Comparison between large vs small seeds

Large seeds Small seeds

Large seeds have highest germination Small seeds have low germination
percentage percentage

They have low germination velocity They have high germination velocity

Produce longer root and shoot and able Produce shorter root and shoot
to emerge quickly

Seedlings from large seeds have highest Seedling from small seeds have low
survival rate survival rate.

Large seeded species have an advantage They do not have potential to survive in
in competitive environments and when competitive or stress environment.
seedling experience defoliation or
moisture stress.
large seeds reserves might be used for Due to small size they have small amount
construction for large amounts of of reserves that are used for their
photosynthetic tissues in order to survival therefore they don’t actively
maintain a positive net energy balance participate in net energy balance.

They grow in richer soil having large They are able to grow in less nutritious
holding capacity soil

Large seeds have largest cotyledons They have small cotyledons

They have highest shoot dry weight They have lowest shoot dry weight

Large seeds have highest biomass Small seeds have lowest biomass

Large seeds are more tolerant to flea Seedling of small seeds have the highest
beetle damage than small seedlings flea beetle damage and poorest seedling
establishment

Examples are herbaceous perennial and Examples include annual plants.

wood plants.