Final answer:
In plant life cycles, meiosis occurs in the diploid sporophyte phase to produce haploid spores, and mitosis occurs in the development of haploid gametophytes and the growth of diploid sporophytes from zygotes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Life Cycle of Plants
In the life cycle of plants, fertilization and meiosis are essential processes that alternate to enable sexual reproduction. Plants typically undergo an alternation of generations, including both diploid (sporophyte) and haploid (gametophyte) stages. Meiosis occurs in the diploid sporophyte phase, where it reduces the chromosome number by half, producing haploid spores. These spores give rise to the haploid gametophytes through mitotic division. Conversely, sexual reproduction takes place when haploid gametes produced by the gametophytes undergo fertilization, resulting in a diploid zygote. This zygote then undergoes mitotic division to become a mature sporophyte, starting the cycle anew.
The role of mitosis in this cycle happens during two critical phases: the development of the haploid gametophytes from spores and the development of the diploid zygote into the mature sporophyte. Both mitosis and meiosis are integral to the reproductive strategy of plants, illustrating the diversity of life cycles in multicellular organisms.