Breeding of Fruit and Plantation Crops 2 + 1

Apomixis

• Apomixis refers to the occurrence of an asexual reproductive process in the place of normal sexual processes involving reduction division and fertilization.


• In other words, apomixis is a type of reproduction in which sexual organs of related structures take part but seeds are formed without union of gametes. Seeds formed in this way are of vegetative in origin.


• When apomixis is the only method of reproduction in a plant species, it is known as obligate apomixis. On the other hand, if gametic and apomictic reproductions occur in the same plant, it is known as facultative apomixis.


• The first discovery of this phenomenon is credited to Leuwenhock as early as in 1719 in Citrus seeds.Apomixis is widely distributed among higher plants.
  


• More than 300 species belonging to 35 families are apomictic. It is most common in Gramineae, Compositae, Rosaceae and Rutaceae.