Question

Explain the following term:

Parthenocarpy

Answer 1

1. This term is coined by Noll (1902). It is the condition in which fruit is developed without the process of fertilization.
2. It occurs naturally in some varieties of Pineapple, Banana, Papaya, etc.
3. In these plants, it seems that the placental tissue in the unfertilized ovary produces auxin IAA (Indole-3 Acetic Acid), which is responsible for enlargement of the ovary into fruit.
4. The fruit resembles the normally produced fruit, but it is seedless.