Germination

Learning objectives:
•Understand how
germinating seeds utilise
food reserves until the
seedling can carry out
photosynthesis
•Practical: investigate the
conditions needed for seed
germination
Where does pollination occur?

B
A

D
Where does fertilisation occur?

B
A

D
 The pollen tube grows down the…

A Stigma

B Filament

C Style

D Ovule
 The pollen enters the ovule via the…

A Micropyle

B Micropole

C Minipyle

D Minihole
 Which part of the pollen moves down
the pollen tube into the ovule?

A All of it

B Cytoplasm

C Mitochondria

D Nucleus
 The ovule becomes a

A Fruit

B Seed

C Embryo

D Plant
 The ovary becomes a

A Fruit

B Seed

C Embryo

D Plant
RECAP: Fertilisation
After fertilisation the petals, stamen and sepals fall off.
The ovary turns into a fruit, the ovule turns into a seed,
the fertilised egg inside develops into an embryo plant.
Fleshy wall
seed of the ovary
(yes, you are
eating an
adapted ovary
when you
crunch into an
apple!)
 Seed structure Task 1: Complete first page
of germination worksheet

Testa: tough seed coat

Plumule
(embryo shoot)

Radicle
(embryo root)

Cotyledon (seed leaves):

Micropyle: hole made by pollen tube starch store
Seed dissection

Task:
•Rub the soaked bean
between your fingers to
remove the testa.
•Using a scalpel, carefully
dissect your seed in half
lengthways.
•Observe the inside using a
magnifying glass
•Identify the parts, and
draw a labeled diagram
Seed dissection
 Germination
Task: Define germination
 Germination
Germination: is the process by which plants grows from
a seedling in to new fruit or a flower
 Germination

Plumule The enzymes break

embryo plant
ab
so
Radicle
This is the first part to
grow out of the seed as
it needs to absorb water
starch down into
maltose and then
glucose (Topic 5).
starch
The glucose is used
in respiration to
amylase provide energy for
secreted growth before the
plant is able to
rbe
d maltose photosynthesise and
make its own
glucose.
 Whilst germinating the plant uses
Germination and energy food stores in the cotyledon to
provide energy for growth

light The seedling can now

photosynthesise and
make its own food

germination

Plant growth and development

soil
Germination and dry mass

Seed loses mass as it uses up

starch stores in the cotyledons as
the seedling cannot
photosynthesise yet

Dry mass/g
Mass increases as the
seedling can
photosynthesise and
Dry mass is the plant grows
mass of solid
matter with all
water removed

Days
Conditions required for germination

Seeds need WOW to germinate:

Water
to activate enzymes which digest stored food
Oxygen
Needed for the production of energy for germination
Warmth
Needed for the enzymes to work effectively.
Remember, light is not
needed as germinating Remember, light is
seeds cannot as germinating seed
photosynthesise photosynthesise (alt
(although light does does actually help g
actually help growth as activates growth fac
it activates growth coming up…)
factors – coming up…)
Conditions required for germination

Task: For each tube, state whether germination will take place.
Explain your answers.
Conditions required for germination

Task: For each tube, state whether germination will take place.
Explain your answers.
 Germination

Task: What factors affect rate of germination?

• Spacing / number of seeds

• Humidity / water volume
• Type of seeds
• Size of seeds
• Type of soil / mass
• Temperature
• Depth of planting
• Gases / oxygen levels

Measure by % germination after set time

 Germination

Task: Design an experiment to investigate the effect of one

variable on the rate of germination.

Include:
The organism used (1)
Independent variable (1)
Dependent variable (2)
Control variables (max 2)
Experimental method (2 plus 1 for quality of written
communication)
How you will ensure you collect reliable results (1)
 Germination

• The organism used – named type of seed/one species of seed (or

same age of seed if seed variety being changed) (1)
• Independent variable – the variable being changed (e.g. range of
temperatures, different species of seed, range of O2 concentrations)
(1)
• Dependent variable – the percentage of seeds germinated (1) each
day/or after a given time (2-10 days) (1)
• Control variables – all other variables that could affect germination
need to be kept the same (e.g. temp, seed species) (max 2)
• Experimental method (2 marks plus 1 for quality of
communication)
• How reliability will be ensured – repeat the investigation and find an
average (1) Total ___ /10
 Thumbs up or down
Learning objectives:
•Understand how germinating seeds utilise food
reserves until the seedling can carry out
photosynthesis
•Practical: investigate the conditions needed for
seed germination