DEHLI PUBLIC SCHOOL

BELGRAM, PURBA BARDHAMAN

A.I.S.S.C.E (2022-23)

BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

TO STUDY DISPERSAL OF SEEDS BY VARIOUS

AGENCIES

NAME: RUPAYAN DEY

CLASS: XII
SECTION: SCIENCE
ROLL NO.:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to

the CBSE board for giving me this wonderful topic for
project work. I would like to thank our Principal Sir, Mr.
Abhijit Bandhopadhyay and my biology teacher Mrs.
Chitrita Roy Rakshit for helping and guiding me in
conducting and completing this research work on
‘Dispersal of Seeds by various agencies’.
I would also like to thank my parents and friends who
helped me with a lot of things in finalizing this project
within the limited time frame.
CONTENTS
Sl. No. Name Page no.
1. Introduction 1-2
2. Material Required 3-4
3. Experimental Procedure 4
4. Observation 5-8
5. Bibliography 9
6. Certificate 10
INTRODUCTION
The process of scattering of fruits and seeds to distant
places away from their parent is called dispersal on
dissemination. It provides the new plants better chances
of obtaining water, nutrients, light and space thereby
enabling them to have a better start in life.
The fruits and seeds develop many devices for better
dispersal through different agencies.
The principle agencies that aid in the dispersal of fruits
and seeds are wind (anemochory), water (hydrochory) and
animals including man (zoochory). Besides, some plants
show self dispersal by explosive mechanism (autochory).
The dispersal through the agencies of animals is
considered as the best and most successful method.
Dispersal of seeds and fruits is quite interesting subject of
natural phenomenon and hence the study of dispersal of
seeds by various agencies has been selected for the
present project.

Seed dispersal by wind.

Seed dispersal by explosive mechanism.
Seed dispersal by water. Seed dispersal by animals.

MATERIAL REQUIRED
1. Different types of seeds and fruits

2. Knife 3. Forceps
4. Petridishes 5. Hand Lens

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
1. Collect different types of seeds and observe their
features carefully, classify them according to their
mode of dispersal.
2. Similarly cut open different types of fruits, note down
the features of their seeds and classify them
according to their mode of dispersal.
3. Record your observation in the form of a table given
below.
 OBSERVATON
Sl. Plant Characteristi Mode of
No. cs of dispersal/External
seeds/fruits agency
1. Impatiens (Balsam) Capsular Autochory/Explosive
fruit, mature mechanism.
fruit burst
open with
force when
touched and
seeds are
shot several
feet away.
2. Viola (Pansy) Fruit Autochory/Explosive
capsule, mechanism.
tension
develops in
the drying
wall of the
carpels
causing the
fruit to burst
open along
the line of
dehiscence.
3. Acer (Maple), Hopea, Thin, wing Anemochory/
Tecoma, Haloptelia like Dispersal by wind.
 (Chilbil), Shorea expansions
(Sal), Elm, Moringa ,are present
Jacaronida, in
Cinchoria, Albizia seeds/fruits.
(Siris), Dalbergia Wings
(Shisham) etc. provide large
surface area
to the wind
for their
dispersal.
4. Dandilion, Sonchus. Fruit single Anemochory/
seeded Dispersal by wind.
cypsela with
a tuft of hair
(pappus) at
upper end.
Pappus open
out like a
parachute.
5. Calotropis (Ak), Seeds have Anemochory/
Alstonia, Bombax hairy Dispersal by wind.
(Sembal). outgrowth to
provide large
surface area
to the wind.
6. Chenopodium Seed/Fruit Hydrochory/Dispersal
(Bathua), Polygonum. very light, by wind.
float on the
 surface of
water.
7. Nymphea (Water lily), Spongy Hydrochory/Dispersal
Nelumbium (Lotus), thalamus or by wind.
Cocus (Coconut). spongy
mesocarp of
the fruit.
8. Boherhaavia, Fruits are Zoochory/Dispersal
Plumbago, Cleome. sticky and by animals.
can stick to
the body of
animals.
9. Achyranthus Fruits/Seeds Zoochory/Dispersal
(Phuthkanda), have barbs, by animals.
Xanthium, Tribulus, hooks, or
Medicago (Maina), spines to get
Martynia (Tiger’s attach to the
claw). body of
animals.
10. Loranthus, Viscum, Seeds are Zoochory/Dispersal
Cordia (Lasoora). sticky, seed by birds.
stick to the
beak of the
birds.
11. Ficus (Banyan and Fruit edible, Zoochory/Dispersal
Pipal tree). chiefly eaten by birds.
by birds,
seeds
 released
unharmed
with faeces.
12. Crop plants (Cereals, Fruits/Seeds Zoochory/Dispersal
pulses, spices etc.) have by man.
economic
importance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Ncert Biology Class XII
2. Comprehensive Lab Manual in Biology Class XII
3. www.wikipedia.org
4. www.britanica.com
5. www.alarmy.com
6. www.shutterstock.com
7. www.gettyimages.com
8. www.pinterest.com
 CERTIFICATE
It is to hereby to certify that the original and genuine
investigation work has been carried out to investigate
about the subject matter investigation has been completed
solely, sincerely and satisfactorily by Rupayan Dey of
Class XII (Science), Delhi Public School, Belgram, Purba
Bardhaman, regarding the project titled-
“Dispersal of Seeds by various agencies.”

Internal Examiner Principal External

Examiner