Significance of Meiosis:
(i) Formation of gametes: Meiosis produces gametes that are essential for sexual reproduction.
(ii) Maintenance of chromosome number: Meiosis maintains the chromosome number constant in sexually reproducing organisms. It is essential since the chromosome number is doubled after fertilization.
(iii) Introduction of variation: Meiosis introduces variation in the organisms due to crossing over and random distribution of paternal and maternal chromosomes.
(iv) Mutations: Chromosomal and genomatic: mutations can take place by irregularities of meiotic divisions. Some of the mutations may be advantageous to the organism and are perpetuated by natural selection.
(v) Genetic information: It switches on genetic information for the development of gametes or gametophyte and switches off the sporophytic information.
(vi) Evidence of basic relationship of organisms: Details of meiosis are essentially similar in the majority of organisms showing their basic similarities and relationship
