Apomixis

Defining What Apomixis is in Plants

From our basic understanding, Apomixis is the replacement of sexual reproduction by the asexual mode of reproduction to form new cells, prominently seen within higher plant species. If a plant is reproducing through the process of Apomixis, then it is denoted as Apomictic. 

Apodictically - Formed plant offsprings are genetically the same (daughter cell replication) to that of their parent cells.

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In a few flowering plant species, the term Apomixis is alternatively used with the word ‘agamospermy’ to denote the clonal reproduction and division of the plant’s seeds. Both the terms (Apomixis and Agamospermy) refer to the production of sporophytes from a specific gametophyte’s parthenogenesis process. 

Angiosperms and other higher plant orders are found to reproduce through Apomixis. However, there are a few minute cases of Apomixis found in lower plant species, yet this is not supported by proper research studies and hence the results are continuing to be analogous to future investigation. 

The 3 Major Types of Apomixis Reproduction

Apomixis is classified into 3 subgroups based on their similarity of forming Polygonic-embryonic type. They are namely Diplospory, Apospory and Adventitious Embryony.

• Diplospory: Aborted meiotic division or mitosis division helps in the formation of an unreduced embryo sac. 3 forms of Diplospory is noted, right after their observation from the same plants such as Ixeris, Antennaria and Taraxacum types. 

• Apospory: An apomictic embryo sac is created in this procedure and the formation of this sac from their nuclear cells are regarded as ‘aposporos initials.’ The embryo is formed further through mitosis and is quite different from the results seen during a sexual mode of cell reproduction.

• Adventitious Embryony: The embryonic cells are developed parthenogenetically to the exterior of the sac structure. From the integumentary and nucellar integumentary tissues, this process is commonly noted in the starting phase of an ovule’s development. 

Due to its high pace and a good count of new cell genes, the process of Apomixis is quite beneficial in the domains of farming/agriculture. 

Benefits of Apomixis in the field of Agriculture 

The feature of replicating the parent cell into the next progeny (generation F1) is the biggest advantage from Apomixis, making it beneficial to use in the fields of agriculture and crop production. 

Let us see a few simple applications of Apomixis on-field.

• Apomixis helps in enhancing the production of certain crops and seeds by forming a large group of a genetically similar and uniform pattern of crop population.  

• This process also helps in perpetuation of the hybrid vigour of many seeds and crops through on-field successive reproductive-division for generations. 

• Presently underused germplasm may be grown and multiplied now with the agronomic application of Axonomis to achieve rapid generation and cell division. 

• Both cost-wise and time-wise, breeding plant cells with Axonomis is beneficial to growing new plant species that can give returns to the cultivator as well as the consumer. 

• Sexual reproduction problems such as cross-compatibility and pollinator damages can be highly avoided using the method of Apomixis plant reproduction. 

• The overall security of food supply from specific plants can be increased through this process.

• Vegetatively propagating species such as potatoes can create issues of the viral transfer. Yet, this is not the case in Apomixis and even other health complications are less likely to occur.