Question

The plant whose seeds are known to live the longest viability period is
(a)Carica papaya
(b)Triticum aestivum
(c)Zizypus mauritiana
(d)Nelumbo nucifera

Answer 1

Hint: It is the national flower of India. The lifetime of seeds that can range from a few weeks to several years depends on several factors like species and prevailing environmental conditions during the storage of seeds.

Complete answer:
The scientific name Water lotus is Nelumbo nucifera. It has the longest duration of germination viability. Even under ideal germination conditions, the seed can remain dormant for long periods. They demonstrate germination resistance. In Manchuria, they are found buried under peat and dirt.
Seed viability means seed capacity to have germination power over some time. The plant whose seed viability is longer is maximum for a period of 400-2000 years. The seeds do not remain viable forever after ripening. They have a limited life cycle during which they must germinate or they would eventually and ultimately fully lose their viability (or ability to germinate) first.

Additional Information:
Ewart (1908) divided the seeds into 3 groups, based on their survival or life span:
1. Microbiotic:
Seeds with a life cycle of a couple of weeks to four years.
2. Mesobiotic:
Seeds with a life cycle of between 3 years and 15 years.
3. Macrobiotic:
The life cycle of seeds ranges from 15 years to 100 years or more.
So, the correct answer is, ‘Nelumbo nucifera’.

Note: The seeds of most crops typically have a very short life span and belong to the group of microbiotics. In such cases, the survival of the seeds can be significantly improved by holding them under adequate storage conditions. On the other hand, due to the pronounced dormancy of certain seeds caused by the presence of hard seed coats, seeds of substantial numbers of wild plants remain viable for 50 years or more.