Question

'Fertilisation is not an obligatory event for fruit production in certains plants'. Explain the statement.

Answer 1

Yes, it is observed in parthenocarpic fruits. The ‘seedless fruits’ that are available in the market such as pomegranate, grapes etc., are infact good examples. Flowers of these plants are sprayed by a growth hormone that induces fruit development even though fertilisation has not occurred. The ovules of such fruits, however, fail to develop into seeds.