Question

Which one of the following fruits is parthenocarpic?
A. Banana
B. Brinjal
C. Apple
D. Jackfruit

Answer 1

Hint: A fruit is defined as a mature or ripened ovary that is with or without seeds and is formed after fertilization. In some fruits other structures derived from other floral parts or receptacles may become part of the fruit.

Complete answer:
-Generally after fertilization fruits are formed from ovaries and seeds are formed from ovules. Such fruits are called eucarps.
-Parthenocarpic fruits are the type of fruits that are formed without fertilization and hence do not bear seeds. For example, bananas and grapes.
The various advantages of parthenocarpy are:
-It improves the quality of fruits by producing seedless fruits.
-The cost of cultivation of such fruits is reduced.
-There are many fruits like watermelon in which the seedless characteristic of fruit is more desirable.
-Such fruits are generally healthier and results are obtained here more quickly.
-As these fruits don’t require fertilization so there is no pollination in this case which prevents these plants from unwanted attacks of insects, thus no pesticides are used in their cultivation.
-Parthenocarpy can be natural or genetic or it can be artificially induced by the use of the plant growth regulators like cytokinin, gibberellin, auxin, etc. by spraying them on flowers.
-There are certain factors that affect parthenocarpy in plants like chromosomal aberrations or genetic disorders, self-incompatibility, environmental factors, genes controlling meiosis, plant hormones, etc.
So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Note: Pomology is defined as the branch of horticulture that deals with the study of fruits and cultivation.
Parthenocarpy cannot occur or is undesirable in nuts and pomegranates as in these plants, seeds are eaten as fruits.