BIOLOGY Volume 3 - A Guide to General Biology - 2004

21. REPRODUCTION

21.5. Sexual reproduction in flowering plants

21.5.8. Advantages and disadvantages of seed reproduction

Advantages

1. The plant does not require an aquatic medium for sexual reproduction and is therefore better adapted to terrestrial life.

2. The seed protects the embryo.

3. The seed contains nutrients essential for the embryo; these are stored either in the cotyledons or in the endosperm.

4. The seed typically possesses adaptations for dispersal.

5. The seed can enter a dormant state to survive unfavorable environmental conditions.

6. The seed responds to favorable conditions, though it sometimes requires a period of after-ripening, meaning it does not germinate immediately (see Ch. 16).

Disadvantages

1. Seeds are relatively large due to the significant nutrient reserves they contain, which makes seed dispersal more difficult compared to spores.

2. These nutrient reserves make seeds an attractive food source for animals.

3. Pollination largely relies on external factors such as wind, insects, and Water. Consequently, pollination (and thus Fertilization) is heavily dependent on chance, particularly in wind-pollinated species.

4. Seed mortality is very high because each individual seed has a limited chance of survival. Therefore, to ensure success, parent plants must invest large amounts of matter and energy into seed production.

5. The nutritional resources of a seed are limited, whereas in vegetative propagation, the offspring receives nourishment from the parent plant until it becomes independent.

6. Dioecious plants require two individuals for reproduction, making it more dependent on chance than reproduction involving a single parent. It should be noted, however, that dioecious plants are relatively rare.

The information above can be used to compare the Advantages and disadvantages of seed plants versus spore-bearing plants, or the relative benefits of sexual and Vegetative Reproduction in seed plants.