Seed Dispersal

Dispersion of the seed is defined as the dissemination and transport of seed from one place to another away from their parent plant by many external agents or on their own.

There are mainly six modes of dispersion.

1. Barochory: It is the dispersion of seed by gravity. The heavier seed detached from the parent plant due to the effect of gravity which later either rolled down and buried in the soil or translocated by other means. E.g. fruits like apple, mango, coconut, etc.
2. Anemochory: It is the dispersion of seed by the wind. Most of the lightweight seeds are transported by wind. E.g. dandelion, cottonseed, maple, orchid seed, etc.
3. Hydrochory: It is the dispersion of seed by means of a water agent. The seeds having a flat and hollow structure that can easily float in the water are dispersed by this mode and distance travel depends upon the source of water. E.g. mangrove, water lily, etc.
4. Zoochory: Dispersion of the seed by the animal is called zoochory.  Endozoochory represents the mutualistic relationship in which birds and animals eat fruit as a source of food, and in the feces or dropping, seeds are disseminated. E.g. blueberry, tomato, cherry, etc., while epizoochory includes seed having spine hook that attached to the external surface of the animal and transported e.g. clover leaf, burdock plant, etc.
5. Ballochory: This is the mode of dispersion in which the seed is forcefully ejected by an explosion when the fruit is ripe. The explosion is the result of turgor pressure or internal tension. E.g. dynamite tree, okra, lupin, etc.
6. Anthropochory: Seed dispersal by the human is called anthropochory. These means have high mobility than other modes of dispersal. E.g. annual meadow grass, wild chamomile, stinging nettle, etc.