CLEP Biology Plant Reproduction and Structure 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which tissue in a plant seed stores nutrients to support early embryo growth?
- Endosperm (Correct answer)
- Testa
- Radicle
- Plumule
Correct answer: Endosperm
Endosperm is the nutrient-rich tissue in seeds that provides food for the developing embryo before photosynthesis can begin.
Question 2: In angiosperms, double fertilization produces which two structures?
- Zygote and endosperm nucleus (Correct answer)
- Two zygotes
- Endosperm and seed coat
- Pollen tube and ovule
Correct answer: Zygote and endosperm nucleus
Double fertilization in angiosperms produces a diploid zygote (2n) and a triploid endosperm nucleus (3n).
Question 3: What is the function of the micropyle in a seed?
- Allows water and oxygen entry for germination (Correct answer)
- Produces the embryo
- Stores starch reserves
- Anchors the seed to the fruit wall
Correct answer: Allows water and oxygen entry for germination
The micropyle is a small pore in the seed coat through which water and gases enter to initiate germination.
Question 4: Which of the following is a characteristic unique to monocot seeds compared to dicot seeds?
- One cotyledon (Correct answer)
- Endosperm formation
- Double fertilization
- Seed coat formation
Correct answer: One cotyledon
Monocots have a single cotyledon (seed leaf), while dicots have two cotyledons, which is the defining structural difference.
Question 5: Seed dormancy is MOST directly broken in many species by:
- Prolonged cold treatment (stratification) (Correct answer)
- Increased carbon dioxide levels
- Removal of the cotyledons
- High concentrations of abscisic acid
Correct answer: Prolonged cold treatment (stratification)
Stratification, exposure to cold and moist conditions over time, breaks dormancy in many temperate species by reducing ABA levels.
Question 6: Which plant hormone is primarily responsible for maintaining seed dormancy?
- Abscisic acid (Correct answer)
- Gibberellin
- Cytokinin
- Auxin
Correct answer: Abscisic acid
Abscisic acid (ABA) promotes and maintains seed dormancy by inhibiting germination-related gene expression.
Question 7: The scutellum found in grass seeds (monocots) is functionally equivalent to which structure in dicot seeds?
- Cotyledon (Correct answer)
- Endosperm
- Radicle
- Epicotyl
Correct answer: Cotyledon
The scutellum is the single, modified cotyledon of grass seeds that absorbs nutrients from the endosperm during germination.
CLEP Biology Plant Reproduction and Structure 2
Which tissue in a plant seed stores nutrients to support early embryo growth?