What phase in the plant life cycle is responsible for producing haploid spores?

During the plant life cycle, the gametophyte phase is responsible for producing haploid spores. In plants, the life cycle alternates between the diploid sporophyte generation and the haploid gametophyte generation. The gametophyte develops from spores that are produced by the sporophyte through the process of meiosis.

In this phase, the haploid spores develop into gametophytes, which then produce gametes—sperm and eggs—through mitosis. This process is crucial for sexual reproduction in plants, as the fusion of these gametes results in the formation of a diploid zygote, which will then develop into a new sporophyte.

The other phases mentioned, such as the sporophyte, seedling, and embryo, do not directly produce haploid spores. The sporophyte is the diploid generation that produces spores but does not perform this function itself; it creates them through meiosis, leading to the formation of the gametophyte. The seedling and embryo represent stages in the development of a plant that follows the fertilization of gametes and do not pertain to the production of haploid spores.