endosperm

[′en·də‚spərm]

(botany)

The nutritive protein material within the embryo sac of seed plants.

Storage tissue in the seeds of gymnosperms.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Endosperm

in the seed of gymnosperms and most flowering plants, a tissue in which the nutrient substances necessary for the development of the embryo are deposited. In gymnosperms the endosperm is formed in the ovule during germination of the megaspore; it consequently becomes the female prothallus (gametophyte), with a haploid set of chromosomes. The archegonia in gynosperms develop from certain cells of the endosperm. In angiosperms the endosperm is formed after fertilization as a result of the merging of the spermatozoid with the secondary (diploid) nucleus of the embryo sac. In this case the cells of the endosperm are triploid. By uniting sets of chromosomes from both parent plants the endosperm becomes a physiologically active, viable nutrient tissue. It not only feeds the embryo but fosters embryonic growth and differentiation.

A distinction may be made between the nuclear, cellular, and helobial types of endosperm. In the first type the cell walls do not form immediately after formation of the nuclei. In cellular endosperms the cell walls form immediately after each division of the nuclei. Helobial endosperm is intermediate between the other two types. Endosperm is not equally developed in the mature seeds of flowering plants of different families. Thus, it is large in Gramineae, Solanaceae, and Umbelliferae, but in many other families, for example, Leguminosae, Compositae, and Rosaceae, the endosperm is poorly developed, and reserve nutrient matter is deposited in the embryo itself, mainly in the cotyledons. In many Orchidaceae the endosperm is not formed.

REFERENCES

Khudiak, M. I. Endosperm pokrytosemennykh rastenii. Kiev, 1963.
Poddubnaia-Arnol’di, V. A. Tsitoembriologiia pokrytosemennykh rastenii. Moscow, 1976.

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References in periodicals archive

The endosperm is of the cellular type, however Dahlgren (1991), mentioning Wunderlich (1959), argued that the endosperm formation in Asteraceae is surprisingly variable, suggesting that both the cellular and the nuclear types are associated with most Asteraceous tribes, and are also reported for many genera, which is extremely unusual in eudicots.

Seed characters and their usefulness in the separation of Asteraceae species/Caracteres de sementes e sua utilidade na separacao de especies de Asteraceae

most interploidy crosses, inviable seeds are produced due to endosperm

Systematics, diversity, genetics, and evolution of wild and cultivated potatoes

This is because in this process water-soluble minerals present in the outer layer of the grain (bran), migrate to the starchy endosperm, causing increased levels of these components (BHATTACHARYA; ALI, 1985).

Technological, physicochemical and sensory changes of upland rice in soaking step of the parboiling process/Mudancas tecnologicas, fisico-quimicas e sensoriais de arroz de terras altas na etapa de encharcamento da parboilizacao

The institute may conduct research to develop improved, early- maturing, drought- resistant and high-yielding varieties with higher pod-set characteristics, having bold seeds with larger endosperm content and high viscos- ity.

Guar: Gold, no more a fodder

When the polished endosperm are removed and separated from the fine layer of fibrous material a husk and refined Guar splits are obtained.

Report on GUAR GUM PROCESSING UNIT - Part II (IAR- 204)

Cytokinins are present in developing seeds and accumulate predominantly in the liquid endosperm (Emery et al., 2000; Mok and Mok, 2001) which is a source of cytokinins needed for the promotion of cell division in the embryo.

TOMATO SEED INVIGORATION WITH CYTOKININS

The kernel bursts and turns itself inside out, the release of pressure causes endosperm to expand like foam.

PROFESSOR SCIENCE

As stated before, the seed is characterized as oily (Corner, 1977) due to its lipid-rich endosperm, and this reduction in lipid levels is somewhat identical to other oily seeds.

Histochemical analysis of seed reserve mobilization in Passiflora edulis Sims fo. flavicarpa O. Deg. (yellow passion fruit) during germination

This variation was most pronounced in protein content and KH which presumably reflects the interaction between proteins and starch granules in the endosperm of wheat (Barlow et al., 1973).

Effects of micronization on the in situ and in vitro digestion of cereal grains

high-protein tissue called endosperm. When durum is milled, the

Durum

The students learn that the endosperm holds most of the corn starch, but the corn oil is mostly in the embryo, especially including the cotyledon (scutellum).

Plant Form: An Illustrated Guide to Flowering Plant Morphology (Second Edition)

The different components of a corn kernel--plant embryo, endosperm, and hard outer pericarp--are used in food, animal feed, and industrial products.

Making fluorescent markers for corn tissues