Angiosperms, seed development

Loehwing WF (1938) Physiological aspects of sex in angiosperms. Bot Rev 4 581-625 Lorenzi R, Bennici A, Cionini P, Alpi A, D Amato F (1978) Embryo-suspensor relations in Phaseolus coccineus Cytokinins during seed development. Planta (Berl) 143 59-62 Luckwill LC, Weaver P, MacMillan J (1969) Gibberellins and other growth hormones in apple seeds. J Hortic Sci 44 413 24... 

It is not our intention to present a detailed account of the morphological and anatomical aspects of seed development for this the reader is directed towards the relevant references in the bibliography [3, 14, 16]. It is necessary, nevertheless, to review briefly the developmental processes in the Gymnosperms and Angiosperms so that we can later set the physiological and biochemical events in their appropriate context. 

In angiosperms, double fertilization results in the production of an embryo and endosperm, both of which are critical for the development of viable seed. Diploid plants produce diploid embryos andtriploid endosperm tissue. The endosperm contains two genomes of the maternal parent and... 

All of these results lead us to conclude that a very thorough future examination of the hormone-supplying role of the angiosperm suspensor could provide important insights into the understanding of both seed and embryo development. 

In nature, the fruit-setting period is accompanied by a high degree of uncertainty. Climatic factors such as late frosts or a very wet or a hot, dry period during a brief pollination period may practically eliminate fruit and seed production for a crop year. Because of the importance of the pollination-fertilization-fruit development phase in the life cycle of angiosperms, a great deal of attention has been devoted to it. Many internal and external factors impinge upon it. 

Microsomal (0-6 desaturases use cytochrome b5 as electron donor to introduce a double bond into the co-6 position of monounsaturated oleic acid to produce polyunsaturated linoleic acid. Thus microsomal -6 desaturases play a vital role in the polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis in angiosperms. It has been estimated that these enzymes are responsible for more than 90% of the polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis in non-photosynthetic tissues and developing seeds of oil crops (1). 

---