In which organisms does spore formation occur as a mode of reproduction ?
Fungi
This question was deleted by BPSC in the final answer key for Set G, and the reason is plain: more than one option is correct. Fungi, many algae and ferns all reproduce by spores. The option a textbook would expect is Fungi, option 1, since sporulation is the defining mode of reproduction for that whole kingdom, and that is the answer given here.
| Organism | Does it form spores ? | Its characteristic mode |
|---|---|---|
| Fungi | Yes — the standard example | Sporangia of Rhizopus and Mucor release spores that germinate on a suitable substratum |
| Algae | Yes, many do | Zoospores in Chlamydomonas; also fragmentation and sexual reproduction |
| Yeast | Only under stress | Budding is its normal method; ascospores form only in adverse conditions |
| Fern | Yes | Spores borne in sporangia grouped in sori on the underside of the frond |
Why fungi are the intended answer. In fungi the spore is not an occasional device but the ordinary means of multiplication and dispersal. A single sporangium of Rhizopus, the common bread mould, releases thousands of light, dry, thick-walled spores that the air carries far and that survive drought and heat until they meet damp bread or fruit. School textbooks introduce spore formation with exactly this example.
Why the question is defective. Ferns are the classic spore-bearing vascular plants — the whole group of pteridophytes is defined by it — and a great many algae release spores as well. With no word such as “chiefly” or “only” in the stem, and no “more than one of the above” option, at least three of the four choices can be defended, which is why it was dropped.
The one clear exclusion is yeast, whose usual method is budding: a small outgrowth forms on the parent cell, receives a nucleus, and separates.
Hence, the best available answer is Fungi, with the caveat that BPSC deleted the question.
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