Difference between Plumule and Radicle

Plumule and radicle are the two main components of a rudimentary plant, which develop into a sporophyte during seedling. Along with cotyledons, plumule and radicle make up the parts of a young seedling.

Main characteristics

Plumule is the embryonic growth that develops into shoots. It becomes the first genuine leaves of the plant. During the sprouting of the seed, plumule is found above cotyledons. Plumule is the part of the epicotyl (the tiny shoot that eventually becomes the plant’s stems, flowers, and leaves) that grows. It grows small when there is enough food kept in the cotyledons or endosperm. Conversely, plumule grows large when not enough food is stored in the seed.

The first growth from the rudimentary plant, radicle comes out of the seed during its sprouting stage. Depending on the direction of its development, the two kinds of radicle are syntropous and antitropous. Syntropous is the growth of radicle in the direction of the hilum, or the scar on a seed that marks the point of attachment to its seed vessel. Antitropous is the outgrowth of radicle from the hilum.

When it grows

Radicle grows first from the seed to absorb water from the ground. After radicle grows, plumule emerges subsequently.

Direction of growth

Because it is the embryonic growth that develops into shoots, plumule grows out of the soil towards the sun. As the embryonic root, radicle grows towards the plant’s source of moisture within the soil.

Function

Plumule is able to photosynthesize while radicle is able to absorb moisture from the soil.

Color

Radicle is whiter than plumule.

Summary of differences:

Essentially, the difference between plumule and radicle lies in their growth into different components of the plant. Plumule eventually becomes the plant’s shoot, which consists of the stems and leaves. On the other hand, radicle eventually becomes the plant’s root system.