What is the difference between seeds and spores?

Answer 1

The main difference between seeds and spores is that spores are not planted in the ground whereas seeds are planted in the ground. Spores fall off of the plants and they are a means of reproducing a plant just like the seeds. Although spores and seeds have similar functions, they have crucial differences. One main difference between seeds and spores is in the size. Spores are much smaller than the seeds. Seeds can easily be seen but spores can only be seen with the help of a microscope. Seeds are fertilized ovules enclosed in a protective coat called testa whereas spores fall off to create a plant somewhere else. Another major difference is that seeds are produced by flowering plants whereas spores are produced by non-flowering plants and fungi. Seeds are enclosed in the fruit of the tree or plant whereas spores are from the underside of the plant. Seeds contain nutrients that are stored in the embryo whereas spores do not store and contain any nutrients. Plants that produce the seeds are known as higher level organisms whereas lower level organisms such as fungus, ferns, mosses ,bacteria and etc. are known to produce spores. Another major difference between the seeds and spores is that seeds are comprised of many cells whereas spores have only a single cell and therefore they are called one celled organisms. Seeds do not need wet lands or excessive water to sprout but spores need swampy or marshy surfaces saturated with water to grow. Spores and seeds are both asexual reproductive structures but spores unlike seeds are produced by plants that have no seeds. Spores have an ability to develop into a new organism whereas it is the embryo in the seed that gives rise to a new plant. Some seeds are haploid or have a single set of chromosomes and some of them are diploid or have two sets of paired chromosomes. Spores are primitive in form and just like seeds are necessary for the ecosystem. Spores help their species to survive the same way as the seeds do but they are not that efficient. Spores can germinate whereas seeds give a head start to the next generations. Summary: 1. Seeds are an efficient way of reproduction whereas spores fall off of a plant to produce next generation organisms. 2. Seeds have an embryo enclosed in a protective coat. 3. Spores are singular organisms whereas seeds have multiple layers. 4. Unlike the spores, the seeds can survive in difficult and less friendly conditions. 5. Spores are too small to be seen by the naked eye.

Answer 2

Spores are unicellular organisms, seeds are multicellular. Seeds come from flowering plants and spores come from ferns and moss you need a microscope to see a spore but you can see seeds with your own eyes spores must land on wet land to germinate, but seeds do not.