Answer:
When a seed, taken from a fruit, is planted and watered under the correct temperature, it breaks dormancy, and the embryo germinates; first, the root grows covered by root hairs, then the cotyledons appear, and finally, the plumule elongates to reach the light.
Explanation:
- Fruit: It forms by the mature ovary of the flowers. This structure contains and protects the seeds in its interior. Its principal function is to transport seeds to a distant area away from the parental plant and let the new plant emerge under the correct environmental conditions. The fruit develops different strategies to accomplish its function.
- Seed: Refers to the fecundated and mature ovule. This structure is the typical dissemination and dispersion unit of spermatophyte plants. Seeds are formed of three tissues. An embryo. A seminal tegument that covers and encloses the latent embryo. And the endosperm -a nutritious tissue-. Seeds develop and grow under the protection of the fruit body.
- Embryo: It is formed after fecundation. It composes of growing cotyledons, an epicotyl, and a hypocotyl. The tegument and endosperm of the seed protect the embryo from dehydration and denutrition. Once the seed is in the correct place, the embryo grows and emerges.
- Cotyledon: The two first leaves of the embryo. They have reserve nutritive tissues to help the embryo grow. It also performs photosynthesis. The embryo usually develops one or two cotyledons and one radicule or root hair.
- Plumule: First shoot of the young emerging plant. When the embryo is growing, it elongates to reach more sunlight.
- Root hairs: Extention of the roots´ cells that look like hairs and whose principal function is to absorb nutrients and water from the ground. They can be found in the maturation area of the root.
- Germination: Process of development and the emergence of the embryo. These are a series of steps that must occur in the seed from the moment the embryo begins to develop until a newly emerged plantule is formed. For germination to occur, there must be the appropriate environmental conditions.
- Dormancy: Period in which an alive seed can not germinate because there is a condition inside the seed that does not allow germination to occur yet. The seed is in dormancy, but it keeps viability.
