Reproduction
Apomixis
Apomixis is a plant making seeds without fertilisation — the embryo grows from an unfertilised or nucellar cell, so the seed is a clone of the mother.
In some grasses, Asteraceae, Citrus and Mango, an embryo develops from a diploid egg that skipped reduction, or from the surrounding nucellar cells. A single Citrus seed can even hold several such embryos (polyembryony).
Because no gametes fuse, the seed carries the mother's exact genotype — which is why apomixis can 'lock in' hybrid vigour, letting farmers reuse hybrid seed without it breaking up.
Where students slip up
Don't confuse apomixis with parthenocarpy. Apomixis = seed (embryo) without fertilisation; parthenocarpy = fruit without fertilisation (usually seedless). Different structures.
Where this connects
This is a quiet holy grail of farming. If staple crops could be made apomictic, a farmer could save and replant hybrid seed without it losing vigour, instead of buying fresh seed every season.
Why it counts as asexual →Quick check
Apomixis is valued in agriculture mainly because it:
- AIncreases genetic variation
- BKeeps hybrid vigour stable across generations
- CProduces seedless fruit
- DNeeds two parents