Compare Gram Seed And Maize Seed Structures

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Detailed Solution

The primary difference is that a gram seed (like a chickpea) is a dicotyledonous (dicot) seed, while a maize seed (corn) is a monocotyledonous (monocot) seed. This leads to several key structural differences.

Gram Seed (Dicot)

Cotyledons: It has two large, fleshy cotyledons.
Endosperm: It is a non-endospermic seed. The endosperm is consumed during embryo development, and its food reserves (proteins, carbohydrates) are stored in the large cotyledons.
Embryo: The embryo, consisting of a plumule (future shoot) and a radicle (future root), is located between the two cotyledons.
Seed Coat: It has a distinct, thick outer covering called the seed coat (testa), which is separate from the fruit wall.
Protective Sheaths: The embryo lacks specialized protective sheaths.

Maize Seed (Monocot)

Cotyledons: It has only one small, shield-shaped cotyledon called the scutellum.
Endosperm: It is an endospermic seed. It has a large, prominent endosperm that stores starch and protein for the embryo.
Embryo: The embryo is small and located to one side of the large endosperm.
Seed Coat: The seed coat is fused with the fruit wall (pericarp) to form a single protective outer layer, which is why a maize grain is technically a one-seeded fruit (a caryopsis).
Protective Sheaths: The embryo has specialized sheaths: the coleoptile protects the plumule, and the coleorhiza protects the radicle.