4.6: Development

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    From LibreTexts, under CC BY-SA 4.0, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

    Development is the process by which an organism changes over its life. In angiosperms, development after sperm from the pollen tube fertilizes the egg in the ovule, forming the diploid zygote. Through cell division and differentiation, the zygote forms a mature embryo, which lies dormant within the seed until germination (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\)). A seedling emerges and continues to develop into mature plant, which will ultimately flower and undergo pollination, completing the life cycle.

    Close-up view of yellow corn kernels attached to the cob. Thin green seedlings emerge from a few of the kernels.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): These corn seedlings germinated prematurely (while still attached to the cob) due to poor soil conditions. Image by Alandmanson (CC-BY-SA)

    The variety of tissues and organs in the plant body result from differences in gene expression. While all the diploid cells in a plant have the same genetic information, which genes are active in each structure varies, resulting in a complex, multicellular organism.

    Attribution

    Melissa Ha (CC-BY-NC)

    Thumbnail image: Different stages of germination in Arabidopsis. Image by Alena Kravchenko (CC-BY-SA)

    This page titled 4.6: Development was last modified on Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:32:14 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Melissa Ha, Maria Morrow, and Kammy Algiers (ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative) .