Define Parthenocarpy
In botany and horticulture, Parthenocarpy is the production of fruits without the fertilisation of ovules. Fruits like bananas and figs are developed without fertilisation and do not produce any viable seeds. Parthenocarpic fruit can be either seedless (partially autogamous) or self-incompatible (fully autogamous). Parthenocarpic are common among plant hybrids and synthetic cultivars which do not require outcrossing to reproduce sexually. Parthenocarpy is a type of apomixis or agamospermy.
Various fruits like pineapple, banana, cucumber, grape, orange, grapefruit, persimmon, and breadfruit exemplify naturally occurring parthenocarpy, but what importance does Parthenocarpy carry and why do we study it?
This page discusses the importance of Parthenocarpy along with the MCQs on this concept.
Importance of Parthenocarpy
It helps in fruit development under unfavourable conditions.
Parthenocarpic fruits are mostly seedless which increases fruit production and quality.
Parthenocarpy can also increase the shelf life of fruits.
Parthenocarpic fruits are more uniform in size and shape than seeded fruit.
Parthenocarpy is a common way to produce seedless grapes, watermelons, bananas, and citrus fruits.
Parthenocarpy is of great economic importance as it helps in increasing the yield and size of tomato, watermelon, etc., crops.
Parthenocarpic plants can be produced by treatment with plant hormones such as auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellin.
1. Formation of Fruit Without Fertilization Is Known As:
A. Parthenocarpy
B. Parthenogenesis
C. Polyembryony
D. Polygamy
Answer: Parthenocarpy
2. An Example of Naturally Occurring Parthenocarpic Fruit Is:
A. Guava
B. Mango
C. Banana
D. Grapes
Answer: Banana
3. Which Fruit Is of No Use If Its Fruits Are of Formed by Parthenocarpy:
A. Banana
B. Orange
C. Grape
D.Pomegranate
Answer: Pomegranate
4. Which Statement About Parthenocarpy is Incorrect?
A. Fruits developed are seedless
B. Ovary is stimulated with pollination
C.The process is used as it yields high quality and consistency
D. None of the above
Answer: Ovary is stimulated with pollination
5. Tomato is Which_______Type of Fruit:
A. Pepo
B. Pome
C. Drupe
D. Berry
Answer: Berry
6. Which Among the Following Statement Is True for Fruit?
A. Only ovary of the flower develop into fruit
B. Ovary and calyx of the flower develop into fruit
C. Ovary, calyx and thalamus of flower develop into fruits
D. All floral whorl of flower develop into fruits
Answer: Only ovary of the flower develop into fruits
7. Water of Coconut Is:
A. Liquid endocarp
B. liquid mesocarp
C. Degenerated liquid endosperm
D. Liquid nucellus
Answer: Degenerate liquid endosperm
8. Fruit of Rice and Wheat Is Called:
A. Achene
B.Siliqua
C.Follicle
D. Caryopsis
Answer: caryopsis
9. Ovary Wall Give Rise To:
A. Fruit wall
B. Seed coat
C. Mesocarp
D. Endocarp
Answer: Fruit wall
10. This About Fabaceae Is Incorrect:
A. It was earlier referred to as Papilionoideae
B. Widely distributed across the world
C. It is common to find plants with fibrous root system here
D. A subfamily of family leguminosae
Answer: It is common to find plants with fibrous root system here
11. Edible Part of Mango Is Known As:
A. Mesocarp
B. Pericarp
C. Endocarp
D. Epicarp
Answer: Mesocarp
12. Arrange the Following in Correct Order:
A. Apple-------- 1.drupe
B. Pea--------2.hesperidium
C. Orange------3. legume
D. Mango--------4.Pome
Answer: A-4, B-3, C-2,D-1
13. Edible Part of Banana Is:
A. Mesocarp
B. Epicarp
C. Endocarp and less developed mesocarp
D. Epicarp and Mesocarp
Answer: Endocarp and less developed Mesocarp
14. In Which of the Following Fruit Is the Edible Part the Aril:
A.Custard apple
B.Pomegranate
C.Orange
D.Litchi
Answer: Litchi
15. Geocarpic fruit is:
A. Potato
B. peanut
C. Onion
D. Garlic
Answer: Peanut
16. Juicy Hair Structure Observed in Lemon Fruit Develop From:
A. Exocarp
B. Mesocarp
C. Endocarp
D. Mesocarp and Endocarp
Answer: Endocarp
17. Ovary Is Half-Inferior in the Flower Of:
A. Apple
B. Guava
C. Peach
D. Garlic
Answer: Peach
18. Pineapple Fruit Develop From:
A. a unilocular polycarpellary flower
B. a multistillate syncarpous flower
C. a cluster of campactly borne flowers on a common axis
D. a multilocular monocarpellary flower
Answer: a Cluster of Compactly Borne Flowers on a Common Axis
19. Grain of Maize Is:
A. Seed
B. Fruit
C. Neither seed nor fruit
D. Bud of flower
Answer: Bud of flower
FAQs on MCQs on Parthenocarpy
1. What is parthenocarpy, and can you provide some common examples?
Parthenocarpy is a biological process in which fruit develops from the ovary of a flower without fertilization of the ovules. Because fertilization does not occur, the resulting fruits are typically seedless. Common examples of naturally parthenocarpic fruits include bananas, pineapples, and certain varieties of cucumbers and grapes.
2. What is the commercial importance of inducing parthenocarpy in crops?
Parthenocarpy is highly significant in commercial agriculture for several reasons:
- Seedless Fruits: It produces seedless fruits like watermelons, grapes, and oranges, which have higher consumer appeal.
- Increased Yield: It ensures fruit development even under unfavourable conditions, such as the absence of pollinators, thus guaranteeing a crop.
- Improved Quality: Parthenocarpic fruits are often more uniform in size and shape and can have a longer shelf life.
- Economic Value: For fruits processed into juices or purees, the absence of seeds simplifies processing and improves the final product's quality.
3. Which plant hormones can be used to artificially induce parthenocarpy?
Parthenocarpy can be induced artificially by applying specific plant growth regulators (hormones) to the flowers. The primary hormones used for this purpose are auxins and gibberellins. Spraying these hormones onto the unpollinated pistils of flowers stimulates the ovary to grow and develop into a fruit, bypassing the need for natural fertilization.
4. How does parthenocarpy differ from parthenogenesis?
While the terms sound similar, they describe different biological processes. Parthenocarpy refers to the development of a fruit without fertilization and is specific to plants. In contrast, parthenogenesis is the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg, resulting in a new individual. Parthenogenesis occurs in some plants but is more commonly observed in animals like bees, ants, and some species of reptiles and fish.
5. What is the difference between parthenocarpy and apomixis?
The key difference lies in the final product. Parthenocarpy results in a seedless fruit because the ovule is not fertilized. On the other hand, apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction that produces viable seeds without fertilization. In apomixis, the diploid cells of the ovule develop directly into an embryo, creating a seed that is a genetic clone of the parent plant.
6. Why is parthenocarpy a crucial alternative to normal fruit development via fertilization?
Normal fruit development is entirely dependent on successful pollination and fertilization, which can fail due to environmental factors like rain, wind, or a lack of pollinators. Parthenocarpy provides a crucial alternative by bypassing this dependency. It allows for assured fruit set in crops grown in greenhouses or in conditions where natural pollination is unreliable, ensuring a stable and predictable harvest for farmers.
7. Are there any fruits where inducing parthenocarpy would be undesirable? Why?
Yes, inducing parthenocarpy would be highly undesirable in fruits where the seeds or their associated structures are the edible part. The best example is the pomegranate. In a pomegranate, the edible parts are the juicy seed coats, known as arils. A seedless, parthenocarpic pomegranate would have no edible components, making it commercially useless.
8. What are the biological advantages and disadvantages for a plant that develops fruits parthenocarpically?
From a biological perspective, parthenocarpy presents a trade-off:
- Advantages: It guarantees the production of fruit, which aids in the dispersal of the plant's (often sterile) form, and conserves the energy that would have been spent on producing seeds. This is especially useful for sterile hybrids that cannot produce viable seeds anyway.
- Disadvantages: The primary disadvantage is the lack of genetic recombination. Since it is a form of asexual reproduction, it does not create genetic diversity, making the plant population more susceptible to diseases, pests, and environmental changes over time.
