This book, Reproductive Biology of Angiosperms with Practical, is designed in accordance with the Core – 11 paper of the B.Sc. Botany Honours syllabus under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). Tailored for 5th semester students, it provides a comprehensive understanding of the reproductive mechanisms in flowering plants (angiosperms), covering both theoretical concepts and practical aspects in a structured and student-friendly manner.

? Course Content

Theory (60 Lectures)

Unit I: Introduction to Reproductive Biology

• History and scope of reproductive biology in angiosperms

• Importance of plant reproduction in biodiversity and crop improvement

Unit II: Structure and Development of Reproductive Organs

• Structure and development of anther and microsporogenesis

• Tapetum: types, functions, and role in pollen development

• Ovule: types, structure, and development

• Megasporogenesis and female gametophyte (Polygonum type)

Unit III: Pollination Biology

• Types of pollination: autogamy, geitonogamy, xenogamy

• Agents of pollination: abiotic and biotic

• Structural adaptations for pollination

• Pollen-pistil interaction and double fertilization

Unit IV: Post-Fertilization Events

• Development of endosperm (nuclear, cellular, helobial types)

• Development of dicot and monocot embryos

• Seed structure, development, and dispersal mechanisms

• Fruit development and types

• Apomixis and polyembryony: types, significance, and applications

Unit V: Breeding Systems and Genetic Control

• Self-incompatibility: mechanisms and significance

• Male sterility: types and use in hybrid seed production

• In vitro fertilization, embryo rescue and somatic embryogenesis (basics)

? Practical (4 Hours per Week)

1. Anther and Pollen Study

   • Study of anther structure through permanent slides

   • Examination of pollen grains: shape, size, viability tests using stains (e.g., acetocarmine, FDA)

2. Ovule and Embryo Sac

   • Dissection and observation of ovule types

   • Stages of megasporogenesis and embryo sac development using slides/models

3. Pollination Biology

   • Types of flowers with different pollination adaptations

   • Pollen germination in vitro

4. Endosperm and Embryo Development

   • Observation of endosperm and embryo development stages through slides

5. Apomixis and Polyembryony

   • Identification of apomictic and polyembryonic seeds

6. Field/Project Work (Optional)

   • Study of pollination in local flora

   • Herbarium preparation of selected reproductive structures