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Answer the following. (Class 12 Biology 2026, Q18a)

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BiologyCBSE Class 12 · Board exam 2026, set 57/1/1 · 2 marks · Very short answer

CBSE Class 12 Biology 2026: question 18(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 12 board exam of 2026, paper 57/1/1, section B, question 18(a), for 2 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q18(a) · 2 marks · Very short answerCompetency-basedSexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Answer the following.

  1. (i)

    How does a farmer use dormancy of seed to his advantage ?

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    Differentiate between pea seed and castor seed.

    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 57/1/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Think about what a farmer must do with seeds between one harvest and the next sowing.

Hint 2

Compare whether endosperm is still present in a mature pea seed and in a mature castor seed.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (i) Dormant seeds are dehydrated and metabolically inactive, so they can be safely stored for long periods. The farmer can therefore keep them as seed to raise the crop in the next season, and also use them as food or sell them commercially.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) Pea seed is non-endospermic (non-albuminous): the endosperm is completely used up during embryo development, so none is left in the seed. Castor seed is endospermic (albuminous): part of the endosperm remains, because it is not fully consumed during embryo development.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) Dormant seeds can be stored and sown next season, or used as food or for trade; (ii) pea is non-albuminous (no residual endosperm), castor is albuminous (residual endosperm present)

Where the marks are

  • States that dormancy allows storage of seeds for the next season's crop, or use as food or for commerce (1 mark)
  • Correct difference: pea is non-endospermic/non-albuminous, castor is endospermic/albuminous (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 board paper, set 57/1/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.