Reproduction
Asexual reproduction
In asexual reproduction a single parent makes offspring with no fusion of gametes — so the young are genetic copies of the parent.
It takes many forms: budding, fragmentation, and — very common in fungi — spores made without meiosis. Fungi scatter conidia (formed exposed on conidiophores, e.g. Aspergillus), sporangiospores (formed inside a sporangium, e.g. Rhizopus), or motile zoospores.
With no mixing of two parents' DNA, every offspring is essentially a clone — fast and reliable in good conditions, but with little variation to draw on.
Where students slip up
Don't assume every fungus makes conidia. Phycomycetes like Rhizopus reproduce asexually by sporangiospores/zoospores, not conidia — matching the spore type to its group is exactly what's tested.
Where this connects
Speed has a cost. Because clones carry no new variation, one disease that beats a single plant can beat the whole field, which is why banana and potato crops are so fragile. Apomixis is this same clone-making, done through a seed.
Clonal seeds: apomixis →Quick check
Non-motile spores formed inside a sporangium (as in Rhizopus) are:
- AConidia
- BZoospores
- CSporangiospores
- DGametes