Tag: parthenogenesis

A) Potatoes are propagated by tubers. Tubers are the underground modification of stem which stores starch. It has buds on its surface which help in the growth of the new plant as these buds are meristematic in nature. The buds are also known as the eye. 

Banana develops without the fertilisation of ovule by a pollen. The unfertilised ovule is unable to produce seeds but fruit formation occurs. It is known as parthenocarpic fruit. Banana is a false berry because is develops from an inferior ovary which leads to formation of a soft and succulent pericarp.  

Parthenogenesis is the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg or if a spermatozoa does penetrate the egg, there is no union of male and female pronuclei. It is a mode of asexual reproduction. On the basis of divison, it is of two types- apomictic parthenogenesis and automictic parthenogenesis.

Banana does not produce viable seeds and usually depends on asexual modes of reproduction. It thus, commonly produces fruits without any seeds and are called parthenocarpic. Naturally, mango lemon and apple donot produce parthenocarpic fruits.

Seedless fruits are produced by bypassing fertilisation of ovule by the pollen. In such cases the ovule degenerates and seeds are not formed. The same process is carried out in banana to produce seedless fruits and it is called parthenogenesis. The fruits of such trees are harvested and the species propagation is artifically carried out a means of asexual reproduction known as cutting. The correct answer is 'Parthenogenesis'.

Seedless fruits in the banana are produced through parthenocarpy which is a type of parthenogenesis. The inflorescence contains clusters of flowers. The ovary of flower develops into a seedless fruit by parthenocarpy. The female flowers of the inflorescence present on the true stem mature and develop into fruit without fertilization of gametes while the male flowers produce pollen which may or may not be sterile.