CBSE Class 10 Answered
Spore is a small, usually single-celled reproductive body that is highly resistant to desiccation and heat and is capable of growing into a new organism. It is produced especially by certain bacteria, fungi, algae, and nonflowering plants. Spores are agents of nonsexual reproduction.
Many bacterial spores are highly durable and can germinate even after years of dormancy. Fungal spores germinate and grow into new individuals under suitable conditions of moisture, temperature, and food availability. Among green plants, spores are the reproductive agents of the nonsexual generation i.e. sporophyte, giving rise to the sexual generation, gametophyte.
An example of spore formation is seen in Rhizopus. The sporangia produced on the hyphae of Rhizopus contain the spores that can eventually develop into new Rhizopus individuals.