Seed formation without fertilization in flowering plants involves the process of

Options

A. Sporulation
B. Budding
C. Somatic hybridization
D. Apomixis

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Question**: The question asks about the process through which seed formation occurs without fertilization in flowering plants.

2. **Exploring the Options**:
- **Option A: Sporulation**: This process involves the formation of spores, which are dormant stages of plants. However, sporulation is not the correct answer as it does not specifically relate to seed formation in flowering plants.
- **Option B: Budding**: This is a method of asexual reproduction where new individuals develop from buds on the parent plant. This process does not involve seed formation and is therefore not the correct answer.
- **Option C: Somatic Hybridization**: This is a laboratory technique where protoplasts (the living part of a cell) from different plants are fused to create hybrid cells. This process does not lead to seed formation without fertilization, making it incorrect.
- **Option D: Apomixes**: This is the correct answer. Apomixes refers to a form of asexual reproduction where seeds are produced without fertilization. In this process, the ovule develops into a seed without the fusion of gametes.

3. **Conclusion**: The correct answer to the question is **Apomixes**, as it specifically describes the formation of seeds without fertilization in flowering plants.

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