Question Details

Apomixis is a form of

Options

A

Vernalization

B

Parthenogenesis

C

Parthenocarpy

D

None of these

Correct Answer :

Parthenogenesis

Solution :

The correct option is Parthenogenesis.

Let us understand the biological concepts behind these terms to see why apomixis is considered a form of parthenogenesis:
1. Apomixis: This is a mechanism of asexual reproduction in plants that mimics sexual reproduction but occurs without fertilization. It results in the formation of seeds without the fusion of male and female gametes.
2. Parthenogenesis: This is a form of asexual reproduction where an embryo develops from an unfertilized egg cell. Since apomixis in plants involves the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg (or other diploid cells of the ovule) without fertilization, it is functionally and biologically a form of parthenogenesis in plants.
3. Vernalization: This is the induction of a plant's flowering process by exposure to the prolonged cold of winter, which is unrelated to asexual seed formation.
4. Parthenocarpy: This refers to the development of fruit without fertilization, which typically results in seedless fruits. Unlike apomixis, it does not produce viable seeds.

Therefore, because apomixis involves the development of an embryo from an unfertilized gamete, it is classified as a form of parthenogenesis.

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