Significance of Seeds and Fruits Formation: Structure, Function, Importance

Edited By Irshad Anwar | Updated on Aug 28, 2024 03:16 PM IST

Introduction To Seeds And Fruit Formation

Seed and fruit development are both critical sequential processes in the existence of a plant. After pollination, seeds begin to develop from fertilized ovules in the ovary of a flower. From that ovary, the fruit emerges and serves as a covering for those seeds. This development is subdivided into the stages of pollination, fertilization, and later growth and maturation driven by hormonal changes.

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Seed formation is the only way of propagating a plant species; and since the seed, within the fruit, is not a genetic mirror image of the parent plant, this process also produces genetic variability and thus adaptability to changing environments. Fruits ensure the dissemination of seeds by attracting animals, by wind or water transportation, and by offering proper conditions for seed development and for germination of the seed. Seeds and fruits therefore play a central role in the maintenance of plant diversity and contribute to the stability of ecosystems.

Structure Of Seeds

The seed structure is explained below-

Definition And Basic Structure

Seeds are the reproductive units designed for flowering plants. A seed consists mainly of three parts: a protective outer coat called the seed coat; an embryo that forms the young plant; and, in many kinds, a nutrient-rich tissue termed the endosperm. The seed coat protects the embryo from mechanical injury and drying. The endosperm is food for the germinating embryo

Types Of Seeds

The seeds can be classified mainly according to the number of cotyledons, or seed leaves, that they encompass. Monocot seeds, as in corn, consist of one cotyledon; dicot seeds, as in beans, consist of two. This distinction has major implications for how they germinate and grow.

Structure Of Fruits

The fruit structure is explained below-

Definition And Basic Structure

Fruits are matured ovaries of flowering plants that bear seeds and serve to disseminate them. They generally have a pericarp differentiated into three layers, exocarp (outer), mesocarp (middle), and endocarp (inner).

Types Of Fruits

By form, fruits can be classified into three major groups: simple types derive from one ovary (e.g., apples); aggregate types develop from multiple ovaries of a single flower (e.g., strawberries); and multiple types develop from ovaries of several flowers (e.g., pineapples).

Importance Of Seeds

Seed importance is explained below-

Role In Plant Propagation And Biodiversity

Seeding is very important as it allows the plants to scatter and multiply, therefore being a source of species sustenance. Seeds present genes that vary and ensure the adaptability of the plants to different ecologies.

Nutritional Importance

Seeds are important food sources for animals and humans. They have been several important sources of proteins, oils, and carbohydrates. These include grains, nuts, legumes, among others.

Economic Importance

Seeds are the very base of agriculture and horticulture, and through the production of crops and trade of seeds, associated economic activities are stimulated.

Genetic Diversity And Evolution

The fundamental genetic material, contained in seeds, allows for the evolution and adaptation of plant species to be resistant to all diseases and changes in the environment.

Importance Of Fruits

Fruit importance is explained below-

Dispersal Mechanisms

Fruits, therefore, play a responsible role in the dispersion of seeds using wind, water, animals, and explosive dehiscence. All these means make it possible to spread seeds to places where they will sprout correctly.

Role In Human Diet

Fruits are very significant to the human diet since they provide vitamins, minerals, fibres, and antioxidants that take care of human health and well-being.

Ecological Significance

Therefore fruit nourishes the animals and then distributes seeds, which is crucial for the survivability of the species of plants and their further reproductive success.

Economic Importance

Fruits are extremely important in terms of agriculture and commerce. They make up a significant portion of the food produced in the world. They provide livelihood to the farmers and indirectly bring a boom to the economy by the products they produce and then sell.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the significance of seed formation in plants?

A seed's basic purpose is to provide the flowering plants with a mechanism by which they can complete their reproductive cycle in such a way that the species does not die out. So, the seeds give a way of forming new plants.

Seeds are the genetic carrier associated with the growth and development of plants and are involved in providing necessary components of genetic diversity and plant adaptation toward the environment. Moreover, seeds are an important method for survival and help plants cope with unfavourable conditions until the environment is feasible to provide germination.

2. How do fruits help in seed dispersal?

Fruits help in the dispersal of seeds either by luring the animals, which are subsequently carried off by the wind or through water, or mechanically. While the animals consume the fruits, they detach the seeds and pass them out at other locations, thus spreading the plants. Some of the adaptations of some fruits to be carried by wind include hooks or wings, while others are well adapted, such as floating on water, to reach new areas of growth. This is very necessary for plant dispersion to reduce competition between seedlings and to increase colonization in new habitats.

3. What are the different types of seed dormancy?

Seed dormancy can be classified into:

Innate Dormancy: It has a genetic or physiologic origin and is inherent within the seed.

Induced Dormancy: It comes as a result of certain environmental factors after seed maturation, such as temperature changes and moisture.

Enforced Dormancy: This comes about when external conditions pose a challenge to the ideal conditions of germination; for instance, the impermeable seed cover stops germination again in the presence of favourable conditions. Each of these types has its mechanism and triggers; knowledge of these is needed in developing means of breaking dormancy and increasing germination rates.

4. Why are seeds important for human nutrition?

They are a critical, natural prime source of essential nutrients such as proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. They constitute a basic part of the human diet, mainly in the form of grains, nuts, and legumes. This includes superfoods like quinoa, chia, and flaxseeds due to their high nutritional value. They are energy sources, support metabolic functions, and contribute to general health and well-being; thus, they become very essential in food security and nutrition.

5. How does climate change affect seed and fruit development?

Climate change impacts seed and fruit development through the rise in temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increasing occurrence of extreme climatic events. This can result in changes in flowering and pollination time and the process involved in seed and fruit maturation. This could result in low viability of seeds, low yields of fruit, and poor nutritional quality. Rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall due to climate change can further enhance the infestation by pests and outbreaks of diseases, which could further jeopardize seed and fruit production. Understanding these effects is very important in developing strategies that would mitigate adverse impacts on agriculture and ecosystems.