Seed is the generative part of the plant used for propagation. A seed is a small immature plant (embryo) protected by a seed coat or testa, which is formed from the outer layers of the ovule after fertilization.
Have you ever seen a seed before? let’s say either a mustard seed, bean seed, maize seed, avocado seed, an orange seed or any other seed within your location and reach? if yes then which did you see?… you can use the comment box below to mention the seeds you know and have seen or even planted before.
Do you know that most fruits are propagated by seed (are being grown by planting their seeds to the ground / soil)? for instance, when you intend to have a maize farm, you need to plant your maize seeds in order for them to germinate and grow into your desired maize farm.
First before i go into detail about seed as a type of propagating material, let me start by explaining what a propagating material (also referred to as a propagating method) is all about.
Plant propagation (planting material) is the process by which new plants grow from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the man-made or natural dispersal of seeds.
Propagation typically occurs as a step in the overall cycle of plant growth. For seeds, it happens after ripening and dispersal; for vegetative parts, it happens after detachment or pruning; for asexually-reproducing plants, such as strawberry, it happens as the new plant develops from existing parts.
Plant propagation can be divided into four basic types: sexual, asexual (vegetative), layering, and grafting.
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Now let me explain what a seed means and the importance as regards to a propagation method for most crops below:
The seed is the basic unit of propagating many tropical crops, including yam and fruits (mango, pawpaw, passion fruit). Even in crop spices whose primary mode of propagation is by vegetative means (e.g mango, avocado pear), seed sowing constitutes an important method of regenerating new plants and obviating the limitations (e.g poor adaptation) of vegetative propagation.
There are different ways seeds can be sowed when planting them on the soil. Seeds are sown in three different ways, namely by broadcasting, drilling/row-seeding, and pocket drilling / sowing in holes.
Advantages of sexual propagation are ease transportation of propagating materials, less cost, skills and work to raise seedlings, ease of vegetative propagation in mature plants, hybrid vigour and associated benefits of development of new varieties and wider adaptation to varying environments.
The disadvantages includes slow seedling growth, non-prototype off-springs, problem of ensuring uniform produce quality since most seeds originate from cross-pollination (by wind, insects), weaker seedlings and longer period to plant maturity than vegetatively propagated crop species.
Read Also: Inter-Cropping and Types as a Cropping System
Examples of crops that can be propagated by seed include but not limited to the following crops:
Beans, peas, pumpkins, cucumbers, zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, lettuce, radishes, squash and many more.
This is where i will be rounding up our today’s discussion. Is there any crop / crops that can be propagated by seed which is not included in this list of examples? if yes then please kindly use the comment section below to mention your own favorite crop which can be propagated by seed below.
Do you have further questions or any other form of contributions? kindly use the comment box below for all your contributions.
You are also encouraged to please kindly share this information with your loved ones if found useful enough as we can not reach everyone at the same time. Thank you
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