Advantages of Parthenocarpy
Since parthenocarpy prouces fruits without fertilization, it has several advantages. Some of these advantages are listed below:
- Reduced dependencies on pollinators: Parthenocarpy results is production of good quality of fruit even when pollination does not take place. It ensures fruit yield even when the pollinators are absent. This in turn results in more predictable and consistent yield even in environment where pollinating agents may be scarce.
- High marketability or economic value: Patthenocarpic fruits are easily marketable because of the absence of seeds that make them easier to eat. Moreover, parthenocarpic plants yield fruits of consistent quality generation after generation.
- Extended growing season: Parthenocarpic plants can fruit even during unfavourable conditions of pollination. This results in extended season for growth. Thus ensuring greater and longer yield.
- Reduced susceptibility to diseases: Sometimes diseases can get transmitted during pollination or due to combination of genes during seed formation. Since parthenocarpic fruits can develop in absence of pollination or fertilization, they are less susceptible to diseases.
- Ease of Cultivation: Plants that exhibit parthenocarpy are of extreme advantages to their cultivators since they do not have to depend on any external factors like pollinators, weather condition, etc. to predict their yield. Chances of crop loss is highly reduced for them. They can grow their crops even under unfavourable conditions and get enhanced crop quality.
Parthenocarpy
Parthenocarpy is a process in plants that results in fruit development without the fertilization of the ovule. This process has found its importance in agriculture and horticulture as it yields seedless fruits with enhanced quality. Moreover, it does not depend on external environmental factors and promises consistent fruit yield. The fruits that result from parthenocarpy are termed parthenocarpic fruit or virgin fruits. Parthenocarpy has been an important topic of research since ancient times. Primarily it was a natural phenomenon recognized for the first time by Greeks. With the evolution of agricultural science artificial parthenocarpy was introduced and served as a giant leap in food production technology.
Table of Content
- What is Parthenocarpy?
- Examples of Parthenocarpy
- Causes of Pathenocarpy
- Types of Parthenocarpy
- Parthenocarpic Fruits
- Advantages of Parthenocarpy
- Disadvantages of Parthenocarpy