Which of the following is a seed component that becomes the new plant?

Which of the following is a seed component that becomes the new plant?

• A. Embryo
• B. Endosperm
• C. Seed coat
• D. Pollen grain

Answer: (A)

The embryo is the part of a seed that becomes the new plant. After fertilization, the zygote divides and develops into the embryo, which already contains the early structures for forming roots, shoots, and leaves. Once the seed germinates, the embryo grows into a seedling and eventually the mature plant. The endosperm, by contrast, provides nourishment to the developing embryo (and may be used up during germination), but it does not become the plant. The seed coat acts as a protective outer layer derived from the ovule, not a plant body. The pollen grain is the male gametophyte that delivers sperm to the ovule and is not a seed component that grows into the plant.

The embryo is the part of a seed that becomes the new plant. After fertilization, the zygote divides and develops into the embryo, which already contains the early structures for forming roots, shoots, and leaves. Once the seed germinates, the embryo grows into a seedling and eventually the mature plant. The endosperm, by contrast, provides nourishment to the developing embryo (and may be used up during germination), but it does not become the plant. The seed coat acts as a protective outer layer derived from the ovule, not a plant body. The pollen grain is the male gametophyte that delivers sperm to the ovule and is not a seed component that grows into the plant.