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Let's learn a bit more about seeds! Seeds are central to the food system (and human civilization!) and are tied closely to culture and traditions. As I'm sure you already know this makes seeds, and their potential ownership and manipulation, a heated topic. Explore this conversation in the first part of the website. Then move on to some basic seed anatomy and function as well as figuring out why we eat seeds and what nutrition they have for us (endosperm....yum!).
Humans and Seeds - Controversies and Future
Humans and Seeds - Controversies and Future
I have just posted the trailers for each of these documentaries. I think the trailers do a pretty good job of laying out what these videos are about. Feel free to watch the full movies - though you are not required to for class. These serve as a nucleation point for a discussion about seeds, seed sovereignty, the resilience of our crops, our connections to food, and the future of feeding humanity when it comes to seeds!
Wheat Seed Photosynthesis - Read this short article about engineering wheat to use C4 pathway
seed anatomy and structures
seed anatomy and structures
This is not an awesome video but it does relate the basic terms you should be familiar with when it comes to seeds. You may need to look up some of these terms to get a clearer idea of what they are and what their function is. The most important terms are:
seed coat
embryo
radicle
cotyledon (scutellum in monocot)
plumule
endosperm
endospermous (carries food in endosperm) vs. non-endospermous (carries food in cotyledon only)
Monocot seeds
Monocot seeds
These are really important when it comes to the development of human societies! When reviewing these diagrams think about how the plant is using these different structures but also think about how humans have "hijacked" these structures for their own nutrition (and why)! Is it nutritious for us to only eat the endosperm part? Why or why not?
The grains of grasses are single-seed simple fruits wherein the pericarp (ovary wall) and seed coat are fused into one layer. This type of fruit is called a caryopsis. Examples include cereal grains, such as wheat, barley, and rice.
The dead pericarp of dry fruits represents an elaborated layer that is capable of storing active proteins and other substances for increasing survival rate of germinating seeds.
This should be familiar...this diagram is talking about the pieces of a wheat kernel (seed) that you eat! Become familiar with each.
Combine your knowledge of the the diagram above with the nutritional knowledge here. Does any of this surprise you? Does the nutritional value of the different parts make sense given what each part is intended to do? When you eat seeds do you think about eating embryos?
A very deep dive into the anatomy of a seed. Figure out what you can given the diagrams and video above but don't worry too much about memorization. Have a general idea how a seed functions.
eudicot seeds
eudicot seeds
These can be endospermous (like the seed below) or nonendospermous (like peas). Nonendospermous eudicot seeds provide energy to the embryo solely from the cotyledons.
Again...same idea as above. Make sense of this diagram given the video above. This is a real microscope image...pretty amazing detail! Don't worry too much about memorization. Have a general idea how a seed functions.
Notice this is an example of an endospermous dicot as there is a thin layer of endosperm surrounding the embryo.
This is a diagram of the endospermous eudicot seed from above (left) compared to a non-endospermous eudicot seed like a pea (right). Notice that in the case of the pea - the plant is nourished solely from the cotyledons - there is no endosperm.
a bit on seed germination
a bit on seed germination
Time lapse video of germination with terms indicated. Again you may need to look up some of the terms to make sure you know what they are and their function. Some important structures to notice here are:
cotyledon
scutellum
coleoptile
radicle
hypocotyl
epicotyl
A short video about what seeds would need to germinate and grow if the world was sterilized (no life) - a fun little apocalyptic video to get you thinking.
anatomy of fruits
anatomy of fruits
Wikipedia Article here - good brief read
Fruits are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Aggregate fruits are formed from a single compound flower and contain many ovaries or fruitlets.[3] Examples include raspberries and blackberries. Multiple fruits are formed from the fused ovaries of multiple flowers or inflorescence.[3] An example of multiple fruits are the fig, mulberry, and the pineapple.[3] Simple fruits are formed from a single ovary and may contain one or many seeds. They can be either fleshy or dry. The types of fleshy fruits are berries, pomes, and drupes. There are berries that are known as pepo, a type of berry with an inseparable rind, or hesperidium, which has a separable rind.[4] An example of a pepo is the cucumber and a lemon would be an example of a hesperidium. An apple is an example of a pome. An example of a drupe would be the peach.
You can combine the terms for fruit structure (aggregate, multiple, simple) with those for fruit type (berries, pomes, drupes). For example - raspberries are actually aggregate drupes, mulberries = multiple drupes.
peach (drupe)
apple (pome)
banana cross section (berry - pepo)
orange cross section (berry - hesperidium)
Fruits and Veggies! - some nomenclature
vegetable vs. fruit - how do we classify? - roots/stems/leaves/buds vs. ovaries
why produce fruit?
Berries (true definition not common definition)
Aggregate Drupes (rasp & black)
Flesh Receptacles and Achenes
Nuts (as fruits)
Drupes
Pome Fruits (Accessory Fruits) - modified flower petals and sepals and receptacles
Hesperidim Fruits and Juice Sacs
other resources....
other resources....
Great in-depth website - https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/termfr4.htm
Flower Anatomy predicts fruit anatomy - http://fruitandnuteducation.ucdavis.edu/generaltopics/AnatomyPollination/Fruit_Anatomy/
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