First slide
Post-fertilisation: Structures and Events
Question

How many meiotic divisions are required in a typical flowering plant for the formation of 200 seeds?

Moderate
Solution

For the formation of 200 seeds, there is the requirement of 1 male gamete and 1 female gamete. The male and the female gamete will fuse and form the zygote which forms the embryo and this embryo is stored within the seed.
One microspore mother cell undergoes meiosis and produce 4 haploid microspores which forms one pollen grain each. One pollen grain contain two male gametes. Out of these two male gametes, one fuse with the female gamete to form the zygote.
Again, one megaspore mother cell will undergo meiosis and produce 4 haploid megaspores. Out of these 3 megaspores degenerate and one is functional which is again involved in zygote formation. 
Therefore, 1 microspore mother cell undergoes meiosis and produce 4 microspores.
Hence to produce 200 microspores, 200/4=50 microspore mother cell undergoes meiosis.
1 megaspore mother cell undergoes meiosis to produce one egg.
Hence to produce 200 eggs there is the requirement of 200 megaspore mother cell should undergo meiosis.
Therefore, total number of meiotic divisions require to produce 200 seeds= 50=200=250.

Get Instant Solutions
When in doubt download our app. Now available Google Play Store- Doubts App
Download Now
Doubts App