The Life Cycle of Plants begins from the moment of reproduction to create another similar species, passing through maturity and ending with death. Not all plants reproduce in the same way or have the same lifespan. In this article we provide you with detailed information about the life cycles and their characteristics. Do not stop reading it and learn much more about plants.
Plant Life Cycle
Plants, like any living being, have a life cycle that will be subject to the type of plant and its own characteristics. Although this cycle varies from one plant to another in terms of the form of reproduction, the steps are taken in the same way in all of them, that is, they are born, grow, reproduce and die, giving way to a new cycle.
When the characteristics of the plants are known, it allows them to get the most out of it and thus achieve its optimal development and reproduction. This cycle is necessary and is fulfilled in all living beings, where the most important stage is that of reproduction or multiplication, although each part of the cycle is vital, the variations in each species must be taken into account.
Parts of a plant
It is really important to know the organs that intervene in the reproduction cycle of plants since they have certain organs that are in charge of fulfilling this stage. These members are the stamen, which includes the entire plant and the filament, this is what is called the male part of the plant. In contrast is the pistil that represents the female part and is contained in the ovary, which is where the seed is produced, which is inside the ovules. For its part, the style allows the pollen to pass through the ovary and the stigma is the one who receives it during pollination.
Reproduction
All plants, like any living being, must meet certain stages during their life period. These stages will be determined by each species and its form of reproduction, that is, if it is sexual or asexual. These cycles of reproduction comply with a certain alternation. It should also be taken into account that not all of them have flowers, as is the case with mosses and ferns, which do not produce seeds, but do produce small spores that are used to reproduce.
sexual reproduction
It could be said that most plants reproduce sexually. This is thanks to the existence of well-differentiated sexes, which upon coming into contact will form a new seed that will generate a new plant. This cycle begins with the so-called pollination, which is nothing more than the transfer of pollen to the stamens, which are the male organ, to the stigma, the female apparatus.
This form of reproduction can occur within the same flower or from one flower to another. This process is called self-pollination, but it can also be the case of crossing between two flowers of different plants. This is called pollination. crusade.
Reproduction according to its pollination
These pollination processes can occur thanks to the action of pollinating insects such as bees, ants, flower flies, butterflies, wasps. It can also be done by the action of the wind, in both cases the process is the same only through different methods.
Pollination by Insects and Animals
Insects specialized for pollination. The flowers are designed to attract these insects that look for food in it. For this reason they are endowed with bright and attractive colors with a large amount of sweet nectar and a pleasant aroma, which is usually sticky, which makes it easy to move from one flower to another.
Among the insects specialized in the pollination process are mainly bees, bumblebees, chironomids, wasps, moths, beetles, ants, butterflies and some mosquitoes. As for the animals that fulfill this function are bats, hummingbirds, Japanese white-eyes, opossums, lemurs, geckos, snails and slugs, the latter two help distribute pollen when they crawl on other plants.
All these pollinating agents allow the process of fertilization and biological interaction and their relationship with ecosystems. It should be noted that there is a species of vascular plants that produce seeds and this only occurs if the animals carry out the pollination process. If this phase does not develop properly, the plant would simply cease to exist.
Wind pollination
This process is known as anemophily or pollination that takes place through the wind. This phenomenon occurs due to the adaptation of many spermatophyte or seed plants that ensure their life cycle thanks to the effects of the wind since the dispersion of the spores is done through the air. This abiotic form, in which pollinators do not participate, depends strictly on the wind.
The wind is the constant movement that comes from areas of high pressure to areas of lower pressure, consequently, the cold air fills the spaces left by the elevation of hot air. During this process, flower pollen is easily dispersed from one place to another. The most common plants with this process are oak, birch, alder, most conifers or grasses and nettles.
Within this category, plants that have feathery stigmas that allow them to catch pollen dispersed in the air should be located. This is possible thanks to the staminal filaments that contain anthers exposed to the air.
hydrophilicity
This process is another not very common form of pollination that intervenes in some life cycles of plants through water. This is possible thanks to the splash of water which helps to move grains from the stigma or do it through the water as it floats until it reaches the female reproductive organ of another plant when it meets the stigma.
Fertilization of flowering plants
This form of fertilization occurs when the pollen reaches the stigma thanks to a tube that starts from the grain and goes through the style to the ovary. In this case, the male gametes are able to travel through the tube to reach the ovary to join the female gametes. This union results in a zygote that will generate a new plant, becoming a seed that has a root and later different shoots, thus giving the beginning of the life cycle of plants.
Each stage is provided with a specific ecological objective. For this whole process to be carried out in the best way, the plant must have elements such as water, a good substrate and light. There are certain seeds that are covered with a kind of skin that helps them remain intact and that is when both biotic and abiotic factors come into direct influence so that the seed can start its life cycle.
In this case, many animals feed on fruits, which helps to disperse the seeds. An example of this is orangutans and chimpanzees, toucans, squirrels, but especially bats that collaborate in the reforestation process. This is thanks to its digestive process, where the seed is expelled through the excrement. Another form of dispersal is when they drop or throw the seeds on fertile soil, this initiates a cycle of plant life.
In the case of the wind, the seeds are so light that they are able to travel through the air and fall onto the substrate with great delicacy. There are also forms of fertilization through water, since the seeds, when they are light, are able to float until they reach dry land. In many cases the rain and the wind come together so that new cycles can be generated. Finally, there is something that is not very common, such as the explosive pods that, when they reach maturity, end up spreading the seeds abroad so that new plants can grow.
Life Cycle from Germination
The natural germination process is usually from the segregation of the seeds by animals and it falls on fertile soil with all the nutrients and environment necessary for the seed to open and thus begin the process. While this is happening, what would be the roots that go deeper in search of water and nutrients are formed, in the case of the outbreak it is going in search of sunlight.
Little by little the plant begins its development and begins the essential process that is photosynthesis. Upon reaching maturity, this plant will generate new fruits or seeds that will start a new life cycle, this is repeated over and over again and thanks to this we can have plants that primarily generate oxygen, fruits and flowers.
Asexual reproduction
This is a much simpler process than the process of sexual reproduction, since it does not require contact with the sexual organs or a genetic exchange. This can also be called vegetative multiplication, from this process another plant is born without the union of gametes. This is achieved through what is known as cutting or grafting where through these procedures the root of the plant can be reproduced by only using a part of the original plant.
Reproduction via natural: This form of reproduction starts from the structure of the plant itself, as is the case with bulbs, tubers, rhizomes and stolons.
Reproduction via artificial: It is called like this because thanks to the intervention of the human hand, the creation of a new plant is made possible. This is the case of the cutting, which consists of being able to take a part of the stem, branch or shoot of a plant that is planted under the necessary conditions, good substrate, humidity and lighting, taking into account the characteristics of each plant.
In the case of grafting, a fragment of the stem is taken and planted next to a plant of the same or different species. This method of vegetative propagation requires the tissue from one plant joining another that is already established, so that they can grow and develop as a single organism.
In any of the cases, asexual reproduction manages to involve several parts that end up giving rise to another plant, as long as the conditions are appropriate for its development, for example, humidity, adequate soil, lighting, temperature and drainage.
Birth and Growth of a Plant
In order for the life cycle of plants to develop satisfactorily and to be able to create, grow, mature and reproduce in a healthy way, it is necessary that the environmental conditions are in their favor. These conditions, as already observed, can be natural or artificial.
Completion of the Life Cycle of Plants
Plants, like all living beings, have a certain lifespan. These cycles are established according to the time that passes from germination to seed production. Among the characteristics of each plant group, it is specified how many reproductive cycles they can carry out. In the case of flowering plants, they require a period in which growth, development and reproductive activity are temporarily suspended, this is called dormancy and in this way seedlings can develop.
When conditions are optimal, a plant can last and have more life than an animal and in some cases even more than a human. But this will be largely determined by soil contamination, droughts, sudden changes in temperature, adverse environmental factors, among others. Sometimes there are plants that appear to be lifeless and really what they require is a little attention and care until they survive completely.
To know if the life cycle of the plants has been closed, you only have to check their roots and observe if you see states of putrefaction, they completely wither or they have been the victim of the attack of diseases or pests, it can be said that their cycle has concluded. Many trees manage to stand up, but it turns out that all their organs have stopped working and only the structure without the possibility of resuming the cycle. This is when a dead plant is declared.
Curiosities about the Life Cycle of Plants
Did you know that the term fruit is of botanical origin and culinary vegetables, hence cucumbers, tomatoes and aubergines can be called both fruits and vegetables. Plants are able to recognize their congeners so they are less competitive in terms of resources for their development, which does not happen when they are with foreign species. Plants have the ability to regulate food reserves at night. Plants, just like people and animals, try to perpetuate the species. The orchids called ophrys imitate with their appearance the insect that they want to attract for their pollination process.
If you want to know much more about the Life Cycle of Plants, I invite you to watch the following video.
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