**R.H Whittaker's 5 Kingdom Classification: Based on Mode of Reproduction**

R.H Whittaker's 5 Kingdom Classification is a widely accepted system used to classify living organisms into five major groups based on their characteristics. These five kingdoms are Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. While the classification is based on multiple criteria, such as cell structure, nutrition, and mode of reproduction, this response will focus on the role of mode of reproduction in Whittaker's classification.

**Mode of Reproduction**

Mode of reproduction refers to the method by which organisms produce offspring. It can be broadly categorized into two types: asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction.

**Asexual Reproduction**

Asexual reproduction involves the production of offspring without the involvement of gametes or the fusion of genetic material. It is typically carried out through various mechanisms such as binary fission, budding, fragmentation, and spore formation. Organisms that primarily reproduce asexually are grouped together in the Monera, Fungi, and Protista kingdoms.

- **Monera:** Monera includes prokaryotic organisms such as bacteria and blue-green algae. These organisms reproduce by binary fission, where a single parent cell divides into two identical daughter cells.
- **Fungi:** Fungi, including molds and yeasts, reproduce through various asexual methods such as budding and spore formation. Budding involves the formation of small outgrowths (buds) on the parent organism, which eventually detach and develop into new individuals. Spores are reproductive structures that are released into the environment and can germinate into new fungal organisms.
- **Protista:** Protists, which are unicellular eukaryotic organisms, reproduce asexually through processes like binary fission and multiple fission. Binary fission is similar to that of Monera, where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Multiple fission involves the division of a single cell into multiple daughter cells simultaneously.

**Sexual Reproduction**

Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes (reproductive cells) from two parent organisms, resulting in offspring with genetic variation. Organisms that reproduce sexually are classified into the Plantae and Animalia kingdoms.

- **Plantae:** Plants, ranging from mosses to flowering plants, reproduce sexually through the production of gametes. They have specialized structures such as flowers and cones that facilitate the production of male and female gametes. Fertilization occurs when the male gamete (pollen) fuses with the female gamete (ovule), leading to the formation of seeds and subsequent development of new plants.
- **Animalia:** Animals also reproduce sexually, involving the production of gametes by males and females. The fusion of male and female gametes during sexual intercourse leads to the development of offspring.

In conclusion, R.H Whittaker's 5 Kingdom Classification considers the mode of reproduction as one of the criteria for classifying organisms. While asexual reproduction is predominantly seen in Monera, Fungi, and Protista, sexual reproduction is observed in Plantae and Animalia. This classification system helps in understanding the diversity and evolutionary relationships among different organisms based on their reproductive strategies.

Acc to ncert....it is not based on mode of reproduction