Monoecious

Monoecious (from the Greek monos, "one", and oikos, "house") is a term used in biology and botany to describe a type of plant that has both male and female reproductive organs on the same individual. This is in contrast to dioecious plants, which have male and female reproductive organs on separate individuals.

Characteristics

Monoecious plants produce two types of flowers: male flowers, which produce pollen, and female flowers, which produce ovules. These flowers may be separate or combined into a single inflorescence. The male flowers usually mature and produce pollen before the female flowers are receptive to pollen, a phenomenon known as protandry. This helps to prevent self-fertilization and promotes cross-pollination, which increases genetic diversity.

Examples

Many common plants are monoecious, including corn (Zea mays), squash (Cucurbita spp.), and most conifers. In corn, the male flowers form a tassel at the top of the plant, while the female flowers form ears lower down on the plant. In squash, the male and female flowers are separate but occur on the same plant. In conifers, the male cones produce pollen and the female cones produce ovules.

Significance in Agriculture

The monoecious condition is significant in agriculture because it affects the breeding and propagation of crops. For example, in corn, the tassels must be removed from some plants to prevent self-fertilization and to ensure that the ears are fertilized with pollen from other plants. This process, known as detasseling, is used to produce hybrid corn.

See also

• Androdioecy
• Gynodioecy
• Hermaphrodite
• Plant sexuality

Monoecious Resources
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