I see a small germling which has its own root.
The core is cracked and appears to be unattached to the germling. Does this mean most of the core is not actually needed?
Not a biologist, so please excuse my vocabulary and feel free to correct it.
by Sundrowner
5 Comments
Yes, its a energy storage
Not a biologist either but a gardener and what I can say is I cannot count the times I thought the seed had died and the root died in which I then left it and kept watering it and it sprouted again this time coming to the top with growth even. I’m going to guess those huge seeds hold a lot of growth beyond the first root. Avocado seeds are great fakers in dying.
Germling is actually such a cute term.
It might appear to be unconnected, but it is. The seed is providing energy until it grows its leaves.
Seeds contain nutrients and energy that sustain the seedling until it has roots that can absorb nutrients from the soil and leaves that can produce energy
Large seeds and pits tend to be there to provide a hefty source of energy to the seedling. Given that avocados are native to quite humid parts of Mexico/Central America and prefer plenty of sunlight, my assumption was always that they need to grow tall, quickly, to compete for light in crowded areas. There may be other reasons for it, but it makes sense to me.