The process of producing seed without fertilization is calleda)Parthe...
Apomixis is the production of seeds without fertilization. Normally, in sexual reproduction, the sperm nuclei fuse with egg cell and polar nuclei in angiosperms. This results in the formation of a diploid zygote and triploid primary endosperm nucleus. On ripening of ovules, seeds are formed and ripening of ovary form the fruit.
In apomixis, seed production takes place without the fertilization of egg cell and the sperm nucleus. All the seeds formed through apomixis are genetically similar. Apomixis is an asexual method of reproduction. Seed formation takes place without zygote formation.
The apomixis observed commonly in plants are:
- Recurrent apomixis: In this, embryo formation takes place without meiosis and syngamy (fusion of sperm nucleus and egg cell) from the diploid mother cell. The ploidy of embryo remains 2n in this case. It takes place in onion and poa.
- Non-recurrent apomixis: Formation of embryo takes place without fertilization directly from the egg cell which is haploid. This takes place in apple.
- Adventive embryony: In this, embryo development takes place from a diploid cell other than the megaspore mother cell. It is derived from the cells of nucellus or integuments of the embryo sac. This takes place mostly in citrus fruits.
- Vegetative apomixis: In this, instead of flower formation, other vegetative propagules are present such as bulbils. For example in Agave and Fragaria.
Parthenocarpy is the process of seedless fruit formation without fertilization. It can be produced through the application of growth hormones like – auxins. For example, Banana.
Polyembryony is the occurrence of two or more than two embryos that develop from a single fertilized egg. As the embryos are being formed from the same egg, the embryos are identical to each other but are genetically different from the parents.
Parthenogenesis is the phenomenon of reproduction from an ovum without fertilization (Greek, Parthenos = Virgin, Genesis = origin/formation). In certain animals, the process of parthenogenesis takes place regularly, constantly, and naturally in their life cycles and is known as the natural parthenogenesis. For an example, male honey bees (drones) formed from the unfertilized eggs and remain haploid (n) for lifetime.