Transcript Slide 1
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth
and Plant Propagation
Chapters 15 &16
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Unit 6 Objectives
Understand how stems, leaves, and roots
grow, and the coordinated efforts of the plant
to make this happen
Stages of development, and factors affecting
plant growth
Discuss seed germination
Understand sexual vs. asexual reproduction,
and self-fertilization vs. cross-fertilization
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Growth
Increase in volume and wt.
Increase cell numbers and size
Primary Growth
Occurs in young, herbaceous organs
Increases length of shoots and roots
Monocots and herbaceous dicots
Secondary Growth
Increased girth
Layers of woody tissue
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Occurs at the apical meristem
Seed Germination
Life in a seed is virtually undetectable
Seed will die if it is not allowed to germinate
Time to germination varies with species
Six steps to germination
Water presence
Enzyme activation
Hydrolysis & catabolism of storage compounds
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Initiation of embryo growth
Anabolism and formation of new cell structures
Emergence
4 environmental factors affecting germination
Water
Absorption of water is first step in germination
A sufficient amount of available water must be present at
germination, and must continue to be present after
growth begins
Medium for transport, activates enzymes that initiate
metabolic function,
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Light
Can stimulate or inhibit germination, depending on the
species
Oxygen
Respiration is taking place in all viable seed
Medium where seed is placed should be loose enough
for oxygen to permeate through the soil
Reduced oxygen supply can reduce or inhibit
germination
Heat
Affects the rate and percentage of germination
Temperature needs for germination also vary w/ species
Usually 65-75º is optimal for most plants
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Germination begins when:
Mature embryo in the seed
Large enough endosperm to sustain growth
Sufficient growth regulators to initiate the process
Seeds Lacking True Dormancy
Common vegetable seeds
Ready to sprout after planting
All they need is proper moisture and temperature
Seeds w/ True Dormant Embryos
Thick seed coat
Restricts water access to the seed
Scarification – allows thick coated seeds to
germinate, usually occurs naturally (How?)
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Thin Seed Coat
No barrier to water
Dormancy is controlled by another factor (light)
Insufficient Development
Embryo may have to fully mature before germination
can occur
Embryo often has to feed on something else to foster
germination
Usually not viable for long periods of time
Inhibitors
Chemical factors that inhibit germination
Seed must eliminate these chemicals for germination
to occur
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Abscisic Acid – compound present that restricts a
seed from germinating through winter, seed spends
entire winter breaking down the acid
Phenolic Compounds – protect seed until proper
moisture is present for germination – common in dry
regions
The Germination Process of Corn
Kernel absorbs water
Seed swells as chemical processes begin to
prepare for growth
Activation of enzymes to break down food reserves
needed for growth
Endosperm starch is converted to sugars
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Radicle elongates and breaks through the seed
coat
Grows in the direction the kernel is pointed (except up)
Coleoptile emerges from the seed
2-5 seminal roots emerge
Can occur in 4-5d under optimal conditions
Crown area found 1-1.5” beneath soil surface
Permanent roots develop
If seed is planted deeper the mesocotyl is responsible for
pushing coleoptile through the soil surface
First leaves emerge from the coleoptile after it
emerges
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Time from planting to emergence is most affected
by temperature
1 wk. under optimal conditions
May be 2-3 wks in cool conditions
What other factors can influence emergence?
The Seedling
1st leaf blade has a rounded tip
Leaves begin photosynthesis and the plant no
longer depends on the seed for survival
Crown root system begins to take control from the
seed roots
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Apical meristem initiates new leaf formation
Point is below ground until the internodes elongate
Aboveground leaves can be destroyed, and additional
leaves can still form
Unless disease occurs
Hypogeal emergence
Growing point remains beneath soil surface for a period
of time after emergence
Epigeal emergence
Growing point is above soil surface at the time of
emergence
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Roots
4 functions
Anchor
Absorb water and nutrients
Conduct water and nutrients
Store food materials
Root and shoot system tends to stay
balanced to meet plant needs
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Shoot Growth
Determinate growth
Flowering occurs after a certain period of
vegetative growth
Most shoot elongation stops
Common in vegetables
Indeterminate growth
Flower clusters form laterally along the stem
Shoots remain actively growing until stopped by
senescence or something else
Ex. grapevines
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Growth Patterns
3 classifications:
Annuals
Complete life cycle in less than 1 yr.
Shoot growth in continual until senescence
Flowering, fruit, and seed production occurs in the
summer
Herbaceous
Biennials
Life cycle in two growing seasons, longer than 1 yr
but not necessarily 2 yrs
Stored energy from 1st yr used in reproduction in 2nd
yr
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Ex. Celery, asparagus, sugar beets
Limited stem growth in first season
Dormant winter period
Flowering, fruit, and seed production during second
season
Senescence and death follow soon after production
Herbaceous
Perennials
Continue growth for 2+ yrs
Vegetative growth during and after reproductive
phase
Ex. Bermuda grass, shrubs, trees
Shoot growth resumes each spring
Herbaceous or woody
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Phase Changes
Juvenility
Plant may have a different appearance
Inability to form flowers during this phase
Length varies from days to years
Most crops vary amount of days
Trees can have 30-40 yr juvenile stages
Maturity
Able to produce flowers, fruit, and seeds
May have different appearance
May last days to years
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Flowering
Days to flowering varies w/ species
Can be induced by environmental controls
Pollination and fertilization follow
Senescence & Death
Terminal, irreversible deteriorating change
Results in cell breakdown and death
Obvious period of physical decline
Can also occur in leaves, seeds, flowers, or fruits
Exhibited in different ways
Total plant death
Top plant death
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Usually a natural occurrence, but can be induced
by disease or stress
Can be postponed by removing dead flowers
Abscission
Losing leaves or fruit
Involves abscisic acid
Fruits
Maturation process of fruit
Should be picked at ripening to prevent senescence
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Sexual Reproduction
Requires formation of flowers in order to get
pollination and fertilization
Flower Induction
Perfect flowers – both stamen & pistil
What do the parts of the flower do?
Houses gametes, attract pollinators
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Pollination & Fertilization
Pollination – transfer of pollen from anther to
stigma
What is self-pollination?
Ex. Soybean & tomato
What is cross pollination?
Ex. Corn & pine trees
How can this occur?
Fertilization occurs when a small tube from the
pollen grain grows through an opening in the ovary
(micropyle)
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Results in:
Formation of the zygote or seed
Endosperm
Fruit Development & Maturation
Ovary begins to develop into a fruit after
fertilization
Fruit aids in the dispersal of seeds
What are some adaptations to fruits that aid in dispersal?
Seeds
Three main parts of seeds:
Seed coat
Protects embryo
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Stored food supply
Endosperm or cotyledons
Feed the embryo until it can make its own food
Embryo
The new plant
Plumule – young shoot
Hypocotyl – stem
Radicle – root
Dormancy
Seeds will not germinate during dormancy
Aids in protection of the embryo through unfit
environmental conditions
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Can force seeds out of dormancy if we manipulate
the environment, or the seed
Asexual Reproduction
Ensures an exact replicate of the parent plant
Enables plants to reproduce even if they don’t
produce seeds (Banana)
8 common types of Asexual Reproduction
Cuttings
Grafting
Budding
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Layering
Division
Rhizomes
Stolons
Tillers/suckers
Plant Improvement
Deliberate attempt to change genetic
architecture of a plant
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Modern Practices
What is the most common criterion for selection?
Tends to affect all other functions of the plant
What are some other genetic selections?
Research has allowed farmers to produce more
food from the same amount of land
Basic Genetics
Offspring tend to be very similar to the parent, but
might not be identical
Ex. Soybeans will be almost identical, Apple trees may
be very different
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Related to the amount of genetic variation
New variations can suddenly appear (mutation)
Geneticists use these methods to create
new/improved varieties
Phenotype vs. Genotype
Homozygous vs. Heterozygous
Dominant vs. Recessive & Incomplete Dominance
Self-pollination
Produces virtual clones of the parent
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Cross-pollination
Gametes originate from different plants
More chance for genetic variation
How does this affect plant breeding and
propagation of new varieties?
Hybrids
Obtained by crossing two or more true-breeding
parents
Can produce true-breeding corn lines with
continual self-pollination
helps provide uniform parents and seedstock
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Hybrids tend to be more vigorous and productive
Produced from two inbred parent lines
Easy in corn
Hard in soybeans because they are self-pollinating –
must force cross-pollination
Remove some reproductive parts of the flower to
ensure desired cross
Pollen collection and pollination must be done manually
Mutations
Sudden change in genetic expression
Most are undesirable
Can produce a desirable change
Unit 6: Vegetative Growth and
Plant Propagation
Sometimes tough to replicate to due gene
interactions
Easier in asexually propagated plants