- primary shoot apical meristem specification
The specification of the meristem which will give rise to all post-embryonic above-ground structures of the plant as well as the non-root below-ground structures, such as rhizomes and tubers.
- embryo development
The process whose specific outcome is the progression of an embryo from its formation until the end of its embryonic life stage. The end of the embryonic stage is organism-specific. For example, for mammals, the process would begin with zygote formation and end with birth. For insects, the process would begin at zygote formation and end with larval hatching. For plant zygotic embryos, this would be from zygote formation to the end of seed dormancy. For plant vegetative embryos, this would be from the initial determination of the cell or group of cells to form an embryo until the point when the embryo becomes independent of the parent plant.
- megagametogenesis
The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the embryo sac over time, from its formation as the megaspore to the mature structure. The process begins when three of the four haploid megaspores disintegrate, and the fourth undergoes mitosis giving rise to a binucleate syncytial embryo sac. The two haploid nuclei migrate to the opposite poles of the embryo sac and then undergo two rounds of mitosis generating four haploid nuclei at each pole. One nucleus from each set of four migrates to the center of the cell. Cellularization occurs, resulting in an eight-nucleate seven-celled structure. This structure contains two synergid cells and an egg cell at the micropylar end, and three antipodal cells at the other end. A binucleate endosperm mother cell is formed at the center.
- embryo sac cellularization
The process in which the eight-nucleate single celled female gametophyte develops into the seven-celled female gametophyte. This mature structure contains two synergid cells and an egg cell at the micropylar end, and three antipodal cells at the other end. A binucleate endosperm mother cell is formed at the center. An example of this process is found in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- embryo sac development
The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the embryo sac over time, from its formation to the mature structure. The process begins with the meiosis of the megasporocyte to form four haploid megaspores. Three of the megaspores disintegrate, and the fourth undergoes mitosis giving rise to a binucleate syncytial embryo sac. The two haploid nuclei migrate to the opposite poles of the embryo sac and then undergo two rounds of mitosis generating four haploid nuclei at each pole. One nucleus from each set of four migrates to the center of the cell. Cellularization occurs, resulting in an eight-nucleate seven-celled structure. This structure contains two synergid cells and an egg cell at the micropylar end, and three antipodal cells at the other end. A binucleate endosperm mother cell is formed at the center. The two polar nuclei fuse resulting in a mononucleate diploid endosperm mother cell. The three antipodal cells degenerate.
- embryo sac morphogenesis
The process in which the anatomical structures of the embryo sac are generated and organized. The embryo sac develops from the megaspore in heterosporous plants.