Science High School Reviewer | Grade 4 Science | Life Science | Kingdoms of Life | Lesson 7: How are plants alike and different from their parents?

Seeds grow into plants that look similar to their parent
plants. For example, all foxglove plants have tall stems
and flowers shaped like trumpets. However, offspring
plants are not an exact copy of their parents. The color
of their flowers may be different. Some may be taller.

7.1 Inherited Traits
Color, size, and shape are inherited (in•HER•uh•tid)
traits. Inherited traits are characteristics passed from
parent to offspring. When traits from two parents
combine, the offspring may end up with different traits
than their parents. For example, the offspring may be
larger or smaller than its parents.

7.2 Choosing Traits
Farmers can put inherited traits
to good use. Suppose you wanted to
grow a giant pumpkin. You might
start by choosing two adult plants
that produced the largest pumpkins
in the crop. Then you could be
a pollinator and move pollen
from one plant to the other. What
happens if you then choose two
offspring with the biggest pumpkins
and pollinate again? Each time, you
get bigger and bigger pumpkins.
Many fruit and vegetable
growers pollinate their plants. That
way, growers produce plants with
traits that people prefer. Seedless
watermelons are a good example.

7.3 What are other ways
plants can reproduce?

Runners
Not all plants reproduce using
flowers, cones, or spores. Some
plants, such as strawberries, use
runners. A runner is a stem that
grows along the ground and can
make new plants.
Cuttings
A cutting is a part of a plant that
has been clipped and can produce
a new plant. Usually, a cutting is a
leaf or a stem. When cuttings from
some plants are put into water,
roots grow. A whole new plant can
grow from the cutting.
Bulbs and Tubers
A bulb is a stem that grows
under the ground. Tulips and
onions grow from bulbs. A tuber is
a storage part of a plant. Potatoes
are tubers. If you plant a potato by
itself, more potatoes will grow.