Description
Book SynopsisPlant embryology, dealing with the regularities of initiation and the first stages of development of an organism, is now flourishing because of the overall progress being made in natural sciences. Such discoveries of the 20th century as production of plants from a single somatic cell, experimental haploidy, and parasexual hybridization were of general biological significance. The combined efforts of embryologists, geneticists and molecular biologists yielded the discovery of specific genes that control meiosis, egg cell development and early stages of embryogenesis. The tendency to synthesize data of embryology and genetics has become increasingly noticeable. It is connected with the fact that the majority of problems connected with morphogenesis, such as differentiation, specialization, the evaluation of features and the definition of the notionsgene and feature andgenotype and phenotype concern embryology and genetics (embryogenetics) in one way or another. Evolutionary embryology has given rise to a new approach to the study of problems of adaptation in plants. In connection with the problem of preserving biological diversity under conditions of ecological stress, special attention is paid to ecological embryology, revealing the critical periods in early ontogenesis and plasticity and tolerance of reproductive systems at the level of species and population. The study of variability of morphogenesis and phenotype in population (life cycle variations and the diversity of reproductive systems) is the most important point in the population embryology of plants.
Table of ContentsPART ONE - PLANT REPRODUCTION OVERVIEW: Reproductive Biology; Ecological Embryology; Reproduction, Propagation and Renewal; Viviparity; Metamorphosis; Life CyclesPART TWO-POLLINATION AND BREEDING POLLINATION SYSTEMS: Anthecology; Sexual Polymorphism; Monoecy; Gynodioecy; Heterostyly; Dichogamy; Population Aspects of Sex Determinaton; Modes of Pollen Transfer and Pollinating Agents; Chasmogamy; Cleistogamy; Specific Features of Cleistogamy in Annual Species of Medicago L. (Fabaceae); The Evolution of Wind PollinationBREEDING SYSTEMS: Autogamy; llogamy; Pollen-Ovule Ratios in Different Breeding Systems; Stigmatic and Ovular Receptivity-Facts and Hypotheses; Pollination Failure in Natural Populations: Implications for the Conservation of Rare Plants; Significance of Hybridization in the Higher Plant EvolutionPART THREE - SEED PROPAGATION AMPHIMIXIS AND APOMIXIS: Amphimixis; Apomixis; Apospory; Diplospory; Parthenogenesis; Apogamety; Classification of Apomixis; Embryo-Endosperm Interrelations in Apomixis; Ultrastructural Aspects of the Apomixis; Space and Time Organization of Megaspore- and Megagametophytogenesis in Amphimictic and Apomictic Plants; Experimental Induction of Apomixis in vivo and in vitro; Applied Aspects of Gametophytic Apomixis; Alchemilla L. (Rosaceae) is a Classical Object for Studying Facultative Apomixis; The Problem of Evolutionary Significance of Apomixis; The Evolution of Gametophytic ApomixisSEED PROPAGATION: Seed and Seed Propagation; Reproductive Effort; Reproductive Success; Potential Seed Productivity; Real Seed Productivity; Seed Productivity in Symphytum L. (Boraginaceae; Seed Productivity in Apomicts; Aberrant Ovules and Seeds: Structure and Diagnostics Heterospermy; Seed Bank; Fruit; HeterocarpyPART FOUR-VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION: Vegetative Propagation; Sarmentation; Particulation; Bud; Brood Bud; Bulb; Bulblet and Bulbil; Protocorm; Embryoidogeny is a New Type of Vegetative Propagation; Phytomer Conception and the Higher Plant Evol
