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Parts of a Dicot Seed Embryo

Biology Normal

Aim

To identify the parts of an embryo of a dicot seed (gram/pea).

Materials Required

Soaked gram/pea seeds
Forceps
Needle
Hand lens
Water
Petri dish

Procedure

  1. Take a few gram or pea seeds and soak them in water overnight.
  2. Drain the water and gently press a seed between your fingers to see the micropyle (small pore).
  3. Carefully remove the thin outer covering called the seed coat (testa) using forceps.
  4. Gently open the two halves of the seed, which are the cotyledons.
  5. Observe the small structure attached to the cotyledons, which is the embryo.
  6. Identify the radicle (at the bottom), plumule (at the top), and the embryonal axis connecting them.

Precautions

  • Soak the seeds for at least 12 hours so they become soft and easy to dissect.
  • Handle the seeds gently to avoid breaking the delicate embryo.
  • Use a hand lens to carefully observe small parts like the radicle and plumule.

Dissection Controls

Step through the dissection of a soaked gram seed.

Status: Whole seed with seed coat intact.

Compare: Dicot vs Monocot Seed

Dicot (e.g., Gram/Pea): Has TWO cotyledons. Food is stored in cotyledons. Endosperm is usually absent in mature seeds.

Monocot (e.g., Maize/Wheat): Has ONE cotyledon (scutellum). Food is mostly stored in the endosperm.

Observation Table

S.No. Part of Seed Description Function

Experiment Video

Assessment

1. Dicot seed has ___ cotyledons:

2. Radicle develops into:

3. Plumule develops into:

4. Cotyledons store:

5. Seed coat is also called:

Lab Report

Aim: To identify the parts of an embryo of a dicot seed (gram/pea).

Observations:

  • No observations recorded yet. Complete the simulation.

Result: We identified the main parts of a dicot seed: seed coat (testa), two cotyledons, radicle, plumule, and embryonal axis.