What Is Parthenocarpy: Information And

Examples Of Parthenocarpy
What do bananas and figs have in common? They both develop without fertilization
and produce no viable seeds. This situation of parthenocarpy in plants can occur in two
types, vegetative and stimulative parthenocarpy.

Parthenocarpy in plants is a relatively unusual condition but it does occur in some of our
most common fruit. What is parthenocarpy? This circumstance occurs when the ovary
of a flower develops into a fruit without fertilization. The result is a seedless fruit. Read
on to discover what causes parthenocarpy.

What is Parthenocarpy?
The short answer is seedless fruit. What causes parthenocarpy? The word comes from
Greek, meaning virgin fruit. As a rule, flowers need to be pollinated and fertilized to
create fruit. In some species of plants, a different method has developed, requiring
either no fertilization or no fertilization and no pollination.

Pollination is done through insects or wind and spread pollen to the stigma of a flower.
The resulting action promotes fertilization which allows a plant to develop seeds. So
how does parthenocarpy work and in what instances is it useful?

Examples of Parthenocarpy
In cultivated plants, parthenocarpy is introduced with plant hormones such as gibberellic
acid. It causes ovaries to mature without fertilization and produces bigger fruits. The
process is being introduced to all kinds of crops from squash to cucumber and more.

It is also a natural process as in the case of bananas. Bananas are sterile and develop
no viable ovaries. They do not produce seeds, which mean they must propagate
vegetatively. Pineapples [4] and figs are also examples of parthenocarpy which occur
naturally.

How Does Parthenocarpy Work?

Vegetative parthenocarpy in plants, like pear and fig, take place without pollination. As
we know, pollination leads to fertilization, so in the absence of pollination, no seeds can
form.

Stimulative parthenocarpy is a process where pollination is required but no fertilization

takes place. It occurs when a wasp inserts its ovipositor into the ovary of a flower. It can
also be simulated by blowing air or growth hormones into the unisexual flowers found
inside something called a syconium. The syconium is basically the flask-shaped
structure lined with the unisexual flowers.

Growth regulating hormones, when used on crops, also halt the fertilization process. In
some crop plants, this also occurs due to genome manipulation.

Is Parthenocarpy Beneficial?
Parthenocarpy allows the grower to keep insect pests from his crop without chemicals.
This is because no pollinating insect is required for fruit formation so the plants can be
covered to prevent the bad insects from attacking the crop.

In the world of organic production, this is a significant improvement from the use of even
organic pesticides and improves crop yield and health. Fruits and vegetables are bigger,
the growth hormones introduced are natural and the results are easier to achieve and
more healthful.