Agronomy and Horticulture Department
Embryogenesis
Date of this Version
2000
Document Type
Article
Citation
Plant and Soil Sciences eLibrary (PASSeL) Lesson
Abstract
Embryogenesis is the process of initiation and development of an embryo from a zygote (zygotic embryogenesis) or a somatic cell (somatic embryogenesis). This lesson discusses the steps in plant growth at the cellular level from the very beginning through maturity.
Introduction
Embryogenesis is the process of initiation and development of an embryo from a zygote (zygotic embryogenesis) or a somatic cell (somatic embryogenesis).
Embryo development occurs through an exceptionally organized sequence of cell division, enlargement, and differentiation. Zygotic and somatic embryos share the same gross pattern of development.
[Zygotic embryo illustration]
[Somatic embryonic cell illustration]
Both types of embryos develop as passing through typical developmental stages, such as globular, scutellar, and coleoptilar stages for monocots, or globular, heart, torpedo, and cotyledonary stages for dicots and conifers. Embryo development is bipolar, having a shoot and a radicular pole at opposite ends.
[Zygotic embryo chart]
[Somatic embryo chart]
Modules:
Comments
Copyright © 2000 Yang Yen and Patrician Hain. Used by permission.
This project was supported in part by the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants CAP project 2011-68002-30029 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, administered by the University of California-Davis and by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education, National SMETE Digital Library Program, Award #0938034, administered by the University of Nebraska. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA or NSF.
Development of this lesson was supported in part by Cooperative State Research, Education, & Extension Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture under Agreement Number 98-EATP-1-0403 administered by Cornell University and the American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.