Question
Question: Differentiate between the following: A. Embryo sac and Endosperm B. Pollination and fertilizati...
Differentiate between the following:
A. Embryo sac and Endosperm
B. Pollination and fertilization.
Solution
Embryo and endosperm are two types of structures found in the seed of angiosperms. They occur in a process called double fertilization. The fusion of the egg cell with a sperm results in an embryo while the fusion of a sperm with the binucleate central cell results in an endosperm
Complete answer:
A. Embryo sac and Endosperm
The main difference between embryo and endosperm is that the embryo is the concept of fertilization whereas the endosperm is the nutritive tissue of the seed.
Embryo sac | Endosperm |
---|---|
Ovule gives rise to and contains embryo sac. | It is formed from the primary endosperm nucleus. |
It is a female gametophyte. It produces an egg cell for the purpose of fertilization. | It provides nutrition in the form of starch to the developing embryo. |
B. Pollination and fertilization.
Fertilization in flowering plants happens through a process called pollination. Pollination occurs when pollen grains from the anther land on a stigma. Fertilization occurs when one of the sperm cells fuses with the egg inside of an ovule. After fertilization occurs, each ovule develops into a seed.
Pollination | Fertilization |
---|---|
It is the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of a flower. | It is the fusion of male gamete with female gamete |
It leads to fertilization. | It results in the formation of seeds. |
It is an external process. | It is an internal process. |
Note: Pollinators range from physical agents, especially the wind (wind pollination is called anemophily), or biotic agents such as insects, birds, bats and other animals (pollination by insects is called entomophily, by birds ornithophily, by bats chiropterophily).