Apomixis is called asexual seed formation or asexual reproduction in plants. It's a process where a plant produces seeds without fertilization, bypassing the typical sexual reproduction steps of meiosis and fertilization. The resulting seeds are genetically identical to the mother plant.
Types of Apomixis
Several types of apomixis exist, including:
- Apospory: This involves the development of an embryo from a cell in the ovule other than the egg cell. As noted in a PubMed study on apomixis-linked molecular markers, apospory is one form of apomixis under active research. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9560240/)
- Diplospory: In this type, the embryo develops directly from the diploid egg cell.
- Autonomous apomixis: This refers to the development of embryos and endosperm independently of fertilization. As cited in a study on Praxelis clematidea, autonomous apomixis is a well-established concept. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plab007)
Significance of Apomixis
Apomixis is significant for several reasons:
- Clonal propagation: It allows for the creation of genetically identical offspring, preserving desirable traits in crops.
- Hybrid vigor: This method can help maintain hybrid vigor in crops over generations, unlike traditional sexual reproduction. A study in Nature focuses on achieving high-frequency synthetic apomixis in hybrid rice. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-35679-3)
- Plant breeding: Understanding apomixis could revolutionize plant breeding by enabling the creation of superior hybrid crops that maintain their advantageous traits. A Nature article discusses gene manipulation aiming to induce apomixis for improved crop breeding. (https://www.nature.com/articles/nindia.2008.114)
The Wikipedia entry on apomixis also defines it as the asexual development of a seed or embryo without fertilization. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apomixis) Several sources highlight that apomixis avoids meiosis and fertilization, leading to an embryo formed from maternal tissues. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/apomixis; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4063905/) The process is observed in various plants, including blackberries, dandelions, and citrus species. (https://biology.ucdavis.edu/news/plant-biologist-venkatesan-sundaresan-wins-2024-wolf-prize-agriculture)
