Reproduction
Reproduction is a characteristic of all living organisms. It is the process that makes more of the same kind of organism. Reproduction is essential in all species to ensure that the species does not extinct. There are two types of reproduction, Asexual and sexual reproduction.
Asexual Reproduction:
Asexual means not sexual. This means that this kind of reproduction does not involve sex. Asexual reproduction is the production of genetically identical offspring from one parent. It is simply a single organism growing a new organism from itself. Asexual Reproduction in Bacteria:Bacteria are tiny single-celled organisms. They reproduce by a process called binary fission. In binary fission, one bacterium grows and exact copy of its DNA coil which carries its genetic information. Then the bacterium completely divides witch one DNA coil in the parent and one in the daughter bacterium. Each bacterium can undergo binary fission once every 20 minutes making them able to reproduce massive numbers from one parent in very little time.Asexual Reproduction in Fungi:Earlier, you’ve studied that fungi are multi-cellular organisms that grow long threads called hyphae on pieces of food. There are two types of hyphae, reproductive and feeding hyphae. Reproductive hyphae grow vertically above the food material. At the top of the hyphae, there is a spherical bag in which many spores are grown. This bag is called sporangium. Spores being produced in the sporangium are reproductive structures that can grow into another fungus. At some point, the sporangium will burst open dispersing the spores into the air. If a spore falls on an area of favorable conditions (food – water – air) it will germinate and grow into a new identical fungus. | |
Asexual Reproduction in Potato Plants:
A potato plant starts as a lateral bud (seed) under the soil. In favorable conditions, a shoot grows out from the bud vertically, which then becomes the stem of the plant above