Advantages of Cotyledons in Seed Dormancy and Germination
The angiosperms of the plant kingdom are divided into two classes. These classes are divided on the basis of cotyledons. These cotyledons are also known as embryonic leaves or cotyledon seed leaf. The two types are dicotyledons and monocotyledons. Commonly we call them dicots and monocots. As the name suggests, the dicots have two cotyledons and the monocots have only one cotyledon. Pea and rose are the examples of dicotyledon plants and banana and grass are the examples of monocotyledon plants. The cotyledons are mainly formed when the seed develops. After the fertilization process, the ovules start to develop into seeds. Seed coat and embryo helping in making up the structure of the seed. Two or one cotyledons along with the embryonal axis help in making the embryo.
Dicotyledon Seeds
They have an outer covering that is called a seed coat. It is protective in nature. It is developed from the integuments of the ovule. Testa and tegmen are the two layers that are present on the seed coat. Testa is the outer layer and tegmen is the inner layer. There is a scar that is present on the seed coat and this scar is known as hilum. It helps in attaching the seeds to the fruit that is developing. The micropyle is a small pore that is present above the hilum. The embryo is the main part of the seed and this makes up the seed. In dicotyledons, the embryo is made up of an embryonal axis and two cotyledons. The cotyledon is fleshy in nature. There is an ample amount of reserve food material that is present in the cotyledons. On the two ends of the cotyledons, we have a plumule and a radicle. The plumule develops into a future shoot and the radicle develops into a future root. As a result of double fertilization, a structure that is known as endosperm is also present. It helps in storing the food and also provides nutrition to the developing embryo. Sometimes it is fully consumed in the process and sometimes it is not fully consumed. The seeds in which it is fully consumed are known as non-endospermic seeds and the seeds in which it is not fully consumed, it is known as endospermic seeds.
Monocotyledon Seeds
Maize is an example of a monocotyledon seed. It is cereal. The nature of seed coats in maize is membranous and this seed coat is fused with the fruit wall. Endosperm and embryo are the two structures that help in covering the seed. The endosperm in monocots is bulky in nature and it helps in storing the food. So from this, we can say that the monocots are endospermic in nature. But there is an exception to this case that is in orchids. In orchids, the seeds are non-endospermic which means that the whole of the endosperm is consumed at the time of development. The aleurone layer is a protective covering or layer that is present on the outside. This is just an outer covering of the endosperm and the function of this is to separate the embryo. On one end of the endosperm, we have the embryo that is present in the groove. As the monocot have only one cotyledon so the name of their cotyledon is scutellum. The cotyledon seed leaf is large and shield-shaped. This structure also has a plumule and a radicle. Coleoptile and coleorhiza are the two sheaths in which the plumule and radicle are enclosed. The coleoptile develops into future shoots and coleorhiza develops into future roots.
There are some seeds in which the nucellus is not fully consumed and these types of seeds are known as perispermic seeds. And this gives a name to the nucellus that is perisperm. These types of seeds are found in black pepper.
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Dormancy and Seed Germination
Dormancy is referred to a state when the embryo is inactive. This means that during this time the seeds are not able to germinate. This is achieved by decreasing the moisture content. The moisture content is reached to an amount of around 10-15%. They undergo such a phase so as to fight away the environmental conditions that are stressful for them. Whereas germination is regarded as the property when the seeds germinate when there are favourable conditions for their growth. This can be governed by the amount of moisture, oxygen, and a suitable temperature. These two characteristics help in the storage of seeds for a longer duration in agriculture. They can be used further and for many years.
Advantages of Seed in Angiosperms
We will learn about the advantages of seeds in angiosperms. They are:
For a dispersal to a new habitat, the seed has better adaptive strategies.
For the nourishment of young seedlings, there are sufficient food reserves present.
The hard seed coat serves the purpose of protection to the young embryo
As a result of sexual reproduction, new genetic recombination is produced.
Two cotyledon seed leaves are present.
Seed Viability
There is a time when the seed attains the power of germination and this is known as seed viability. In oxalis, the seeds lose their ability to germinate within a few months. But, there are some seeds that have the ability to germinate even after hundreds of years. Lupine is the oldest of this type of seed and it was excavated from Arctic Tundra. This seed was dormant for a period of around 10000 years. A similar type of seed known as Phoenix dactylifera. It is the seed of a date palm and it is a 2000 years old viable seed.
FAQs on What Is a Cotyledon? Definition, Types, and Roles in Plants
1. What exactly is a cotyledon and what is its primary role in a seed?
A cotyledon is a significant part of a plant's embryo, found within the seed. Often referred to as a 'seed leaf,' its primary role is to provide nourishment to the growing embryo and, in some cases, the young seedling after germination. It stores food reserves, such as starch, lipids, and proteins, that fuel the initial growth of the plant's roots (radicle) and shoot (plumule) before the plant can perform photosynthesis.
2. What is the main difference between monocot and dicot seeds based on their cotyledons?
The fundamental difference lies in the number of cotyledons present in the embryo. As the names suggest:
Monocotyledonous (Monocot) seeds have only one cotyledon. Examples include maize, rice, and wheat.
Dicotyledonous (Dicot) seeds have two cotyledons. Examples include beans, grams, peas, and mangoes.
This difference is a primary characteristic used for classifying flowering plants (Angiosperms).
3. What is the special term for the cotyledon in the grass family, and how is it different?
In the grass family (Poaceae), which are monocots, the single cotyledon is known as the scutellum. It is a thin, shield-shaped structure pressed against the endosperm. Its main function is not just storage but to secrete enzymes that digest the stored food in the endosperm and transfer the nutrients to the growing embryo. It is situated to one side of the embryonic axis.
4. What is the relationship between the cotyledon and the endosperm in a seed?
The relationship depends on whether the seed is albuminous or non-albuminous. In albuminous (or endospermic) seeds, such as castor and maize, the cotyledons are thin as the food is stored primarily in a separate tissue called the endosperm. In non-albuminous (or exalbuminous) seeds, like beans and peas, the endosperm is completely consumed by the developing embryo. In this case, the cotyledons themselves become thick and fleshy, acting as the primary food storage organs.
5. Are cotyledons considered the first 'true leaves' of a plant?
No, cotyledons are not considered 'true leaves,' although they are often the first leaf-like structures to emerge from the soil. True leaves develop from the plumule (embryonic shoot), possess complex vein structures, and are primarily designed for photosynthesis. Cotyledons, on the other hand, are part of the embryo, have a simpler structure, and their main role is nourishment. They often wither and fall off once the true leaves have developed and begun photosynthesizing efficiently.
6. How does the function of cotyledons vary in epigeal versus hypogeal germination?
The behaviour and function of cotyledons are key indicators of the type of germination:
In epigeal germination (e.g., bean, castor), the hypocotyl elongates, pushing the cotyledons above the ground. Here, the cotyledons may turn green and perform photosynthesis for a short period before shrivelling.
In hypogeal germination (e.g., pea, gram, maize), the epicotyl elongates while the cotyledons remain below the ground. In this case, their sole function is to provide stored food to the seedling, and they do not perform photosynthesis.
7. Why is the number of cotyledons considered a fundamental trait for classifying flowering plants?
The number of cotyledons (one vs. two) is a stable and early-developing embryonic feature. It is linked to a whole suite of other distinct characteristics that define monocots and dicots. For example, monocots typically have fibrous root systems, parallel leaf venation, and floral parts in multiples of three. Dicots usually have a taproot system, reticulate leaf venation, and floral parts in multiples of four or five. Because the cotyledon number correlates so strongly with these other major structural traits, it serves as a simple yet powerful primary basis for the classification of Angiosperms.
