Test: Reproduction in Plants - UPSC MCQ

• Budding is a type of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud due to cell division at one particular site. The small bulb-like projection coming out from the yeast cell is called a bud.
• Organisms such as hydra use regenerative cells for reproduction in the process of budding.

• Explanation: Plants can reproduce through both sexual and asexual means. Asexual reproduction in plants does not involve the fusion of male and female gametes. Instead, new plants can grow from parts of the parent plant like roots, stems, or leaves. This method is different from sexual reproduction, where male and female gametes combine to form a new plant.
• Additional Fact: Some plants can even reproduce from just a single leaf or stem cutting, making it a fascinating way for plants to multiply without seeds.

Flowers that contain both the male reproductive structures (androecium) and female reproductive structures (gynoecium) are termed bisexual or perfect flowers. These flowers have the capacity to produce both pollen and ovules, enabling:

• Self-pollination: The transfer of pollen from the male part to the female part within the same flower.
• Cross-pollination: The transfer of pollen from the male part of one flower to the female part of another flower.

This characteristic is significant in plant reproduction as it allows for increased genetic diversity.

In flowering plants, the ovary is the enlarged basal portion of the pistil, which is the female reproductive organ of a flower. The ovary contains ovules, which are structures that contain the female gametes or egg cells. After fertilization occurs, these ovules develop into seeds. The ovary itself undergoes further development and matures into a fruit, which protects the seeds and aids in their dispersal. So, the ovary plays a crucial role in the reproduction and propagation of flowering plants.

Unisexual flowers contain either male (stamens) or female (pistils) reproductive organs, but not both. This promotes cross-pollination, which can lead to greater genetic diversity in the offspring.

• Yes, it is true! Pollen grains are very light, so they can be carried by the wind or water to other flowers for pollination.
• Pollen grains can indeed be carried by both wind and water for pollination. Wind pollination is common and occurs because pollen grains are very light. Water pollination, or hydrophily, occurs in specific aquatic plant species where pollen is transferred through water. This is less common than wind or insect pollination and is specific to certain environmental conditions and plant species.

• The process of fusion of male and female gametes is called fertilization. 
• The fusion of male and female gametes, also known as sperm and ovary, usually occurs in the fallopian tube of the female reproductive system. The cell that results from the fusion of the gametes is called a zygote. 
• The zygote divides multiple times to form the embryo inside the seed.

• When new plants are grown through vegetative propagation, they take less time to grow and start flowering and fruiting earlier than plants grown from seeds.
• This means they can become mature plants more quickly and produce flowers and fruits sooner.

- In flowering plants, the site of pollen grain formation is the anther.
- The anther is part of the male reproductive organ known as the stamen.
- Within the anther, pollen grains develop in structures called microsporangia.
- The process involves meiosis, where diploid cells divide to produce haploid pollen grains.
- Pollen grains contain the male gametes necessary for fertilization.
- The anther is typically located at the top of a filament, forming the complete stamen structure.

Flowers are the parts of a plant that help in making new plants. They play a big role in making more plants.

Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred from the male part of a flower (anther) to the female part (stigma). This is a crucial step in the sexual reproduction of flowering plants.

Flowers are colorful and fragrant to attract insects. Insects help in the process of pollination by carrying pollen from one flower to another. This helps plants reproduce and make seeds and fruits.

- Fragmentation is a common method of reproduction in algae.
- Algae can break into two or more fragments, each capable of growing into a new organism.
- This method is efficient in favorable conditions with abundant water and nutrients.
- It allows rapid population increase as each fragment develops independently.