Bread slices in Reproduction in Plants – Class 7 Science Experiment
Chapter Name: Reproduction in Plants
Activity Name: Bread slices in Reproduction in Plants
Activity Description:
This experiment involves observing the growth and reproduction of bread mould on a slice of bread and the dispersal of its spores.
Required Items:
- Bread slices
- Vessel or container
- Thin stick or spatula
Step by Step Procedure:
- Take a slice of bread and place it in a vessel or container.
- Cover the slice of bread with the vessel to create a humid environment.
- Leave the bread undisturbed for two or three days.
- After a few days, you will notice the slice of bread covered with grey-colored fungus, known as bread mould.
- Allow the bread mould to grow for three or four more days until it appears as a black powdery substance.
- Using a thin stick or spatula, transfer some of the black powdery bread mould onto a fresh slice of moist bread.
- Observe the fresh slice of bread with transferred bread mould every day and note down your observations.
Experiment Observations:
- Initially, the bread slice becomes covered with grey-colored bread mould.
- After a few more days, the bread mould turns into a black powdery substance.
- When the black powdery portion is transferred to a fresh slice of moist bread, it may grow and spread on the new slice.
Precautions:
- Handle the bread mould with care and avoid inhaling its spores.
- Ensure that the experiment is conducted in a clean and hygienic environment.
- Dispose of the bread mould and used bread slices properly after the experiment.
Lesson Learnt from Experiment:
This experiment demonstrates the life cycle of bread mould (Rhizopus) and its method of reproduction. The grey-colored bread mould on the bread slice is the visible reproductive structure called sporangium.
The black powdery substance is a mass of spores released from the sporangium. These spores are responsible for the dispersal and reproduction of the bread mould. By observing the growth and reproduction of bread mould, students can understand the concept of asexual reproduction in fungi and the significance of spore formation in their life cycle.
