Seed Structure

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A. Take a seed that has been soaked in water for four hours and gently ease it open without disturbing the inside structures. Observe these structures using a binocular microscope. The outside structure of the seed has already been drawn and labelled for you. Now draw the inside structure of the seed and using the following labels.

Seed coat, food store (cotyledons), root (radicle), shoot (plumule)

B. Now remove the seed coat from one half of the seed. Add to the seed, three drops of iodine solution. What do you observe?

This is a positive test for a complex sugar called starch. It is the food store for the seed.

C. Now cut open the storage organs and put three drops of iodine solution onto a part that you have cut open. What do you observe?

What do these storage organs contain?

Conclusion

Seeds and storage organs contain food to allow the plant to start to grow again the following spring.

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