In the seeds of cereals, the outer covering of endosperm separates the embryo by a protein-rich laye

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Question

In the seeds of cereals, the outer covering of endosperm separates the embryo by a protein-rich layer called :

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: A — Aleurone layerStep-by-step Solution:In cereal seeds (monocots like wheat, maize, rice, barley), the endosperm (which stores starch, proteins, and lipids as food reserves) is covered on its outer surface by a specialized layer of cells called the aleurone layer. This layer separates the starchy endosperm from the embryo (via the scutellum). Key features of the aleurone layer:Consists of living cells (unlike the starchy endosperm which may have dead cells)Rich in proteins (storage proteins called aleurone grains), lipids, and enzymesUpon germination, stimulated by gibberellins (GA) from the embryo, aleurone cells synthesize and secrete hydrolytic enzymes — especially α-amylase and protease — into the starchy endosperm to digest the stored starch and proteins into soluble sugars and amino acids available for the growing embryoWhy other options are wrong: (B) Coleoptile — a protective sheath covering the plumule (shoot apex) of the monocot embryo; (C) Coleorhiza — a protective sheath covering the radicle (embryonic root) of the monocot embryo; (D) Integument — the seed coat (testa and tegmen) that covers the entire seed; it develops from the ovule integuments.Extended Explanation:The aleurone layer is a critical component in malting and brewing. When barley grains are malted (allowed to germinate under controlled conditions), the aleurone layer produces amylases that convert the starchy endosperm into maltose and other fermentable sugars. This malt is then used in beer production. In bread-making, wheat grain proteins (glutenin and gliadin, together forming gluten) from the endosperm provide the elastic network that traps CO₂ from yeast fermentation, causing bread to rise. The entire grain structure from outside in: Pericarp (fruit wall, fused with seed coat in caryopsis) → Testa (seed coat) → Aleurone layer → Starchy endosperm → Embryo (scutellum + embryo axis with coleoptile and coleorhiza). The aleurone layer in the context of germination illustrates the hormonal control of seed germination — embryo produces GA → GA diffuses to aleurone → aleurone produces amylase → amylase digests endosperm → sugars mobilized to embryo.Key Concepts: Aleurone layer (protein-rich, outer endosperm layer), coleoptile (plumule sheath), coleorhiza (radicle sheath), integument (seed coat), gibberellin-induced amylase synthesis, cereal seed structure.

In the seeds of cereals, the outer covering of endosperm separates the embryo by a protein-rich layer called :

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In the seeds of cereals, the outer covering of endosperm separates the embryo by a protein-rich layer called :

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