What is the primary function of the suspensor formed during the early embryogeny of flowering plants?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. It elongates to physically push the developing proembryo deep into the nutritive endosperm tissue
- Step 1: In early dicot and monocot embryogenesis, the zygote divides transversely into an apical embryonal cell and a basal suspensor cell.
- Step 2: The suspensor cell undergoes repeated transverse divisions to form a linear filament of 6 to 10 cells called the suspensor.
- Step 3: Its basalmost cell often enlarges into a haustorial cell, while the elongating suspensor mechanically propels the globular proembryo down into the central mass of nutritive endosperm, while also absorbing nutrients from surrounding maternal tissues.
Answer
It elongates to physically push the developing proembryo deep into the nutritive endosperm tissue
Why not the others: 'It differentiates into the first photosynthetic true leaves...' describes the cotyledons and plumule; 'It fuses with the maternal seed coat...' is incorrect because the suspensor degenerates completely as the seed matures; 'It undergoes meiosis...' is nonsensical because the suspensor is a somatic diploid embryonic structure.
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