Question

Describe the germination of a bean seed. Draw neat, labelled diagrams to support your answer.

Answer 1

Under favourable conditions, a bean seed absorbs water and swells up. The seed coat ruptures and the radicle grows downwards to form the root system and grows. The radicle forms the main root from where the lateral roots emerge. The cotyledons come into the air above the soil. The two cotyledons form the first green leaves. The plumule (baby shoot) bears the young leaves at its tip. These young leaves start preparing food for the plants through photosynthesis.