Function, Dispersion and Germination of Seed

Function of Seed

Seeds of the plant are synonymous with the uterus of the human female which encloses an embryo inside it and protect it from unwanted contact by seed coat and provide the nourishment from cotyledon for successful germination. Major functions of seeds are:

1. Seed helps in germination of the new plant.
2. The Seed has a food reservoir called endosperm. So, it stores food in it.
3. The Seed coat protects internal parts of the seed.

Dispersion of seed

Dispersion is scattering of seed from one place to another. If seed are not scattered then the seed will not germinate. Dispersion takes place in different ways. Types of dispersion are:

1. Dispersion by wind
2. Dispersion by water
3. Dispersion by Animals
4. Dispersion by explosion

Dispersion by wind:

Some plants have small and light seed. Such seed is easily carried away by the blowing wind. Seeds of cotton, simal and some grasses are dispersed by wind.

Dispersion by water:

Seeds of coconuts and nuts are dispersed by water as such seed can easily float on water. After floating in water whenever seed gets favourable condition it germinates.

Dispersion by Animals:

When animals migrate from one place to other Some seeds have numerous thorns which get attach to the body of animals. Seeds migrate with the animal. Seeds of guava and tomato are dispersed by animals.

Dispersion by explosion:

When seed gets ripe, it explodes after some event.

Germination of seed:

Germination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore and begins growth. Germination is the growth of an embryonic plant contained within a seed; it results in the formation of the seedling. All fully developed seeds contain an embryo and, in most plant species some store of, food reserves wrapped in a seed coat. Some plants produce varying numbers of seeds that lack embryos, these are called empty seeds, and never germinate.