Which of the following statements are incorrect?
(A) Integuments of ovules harden as tough protective seed coats.
(B) The chalaza remains as a small pore in the seed coat. This facilitates entry of oxygen and water into the seed during germination.
(C) As the seed matures, its water content increases and general metabolic activity of the embryo slows down.
(D) As ovules mature into seeds, the ovary develops into a fruit, i.e., the transformation of ovules into seeds and ovary into fruit proceeds simultaneously.
(E) The wall of the ovary develops into the fruit.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → B, C and E only
(A) Integuments of ovules harden as tough protective seed coats. — True. After fertilisation the ovule becomes the seed, and its integuments become the seed coats.
(B) The chalaza remains as a small pore in the seed coat. This facilitates entry of oxygen and water into the seed during germination. — False. The small pore is the micropyle. The chalaza is the basal part of the ovule, opposite the micropylar end; it is not a pore.
(C) As the seed matures, its water content increases and general metabolic activity of the embryo slows down. — False. A maturing seed loses water and becomes relatively dry (10-15 per cent moisture by mass). The slowing of metabolism is true, but the water content falls.
(D) As ovules mature into seeds, the ovary develops into a fruit, i.e., the transformation of ovules into seeds and ovary into fruit proceeds simultaneously. — True. Both changes go on at the same time.
(E) The wall of the ovary develops into the fruit. — False. The whole ovary becomes the fruit. Its wall becomes only the wall of the fruit, the pericarp.
NCERT Extract:
Seed – “… Integuments of ovules harden as tough protective seed coats (Figure 1.15a). The micropyle remains as a small pore in the seed coat. This facilitates entry of oxygen and water into the seed during germination. As the seed matures, its water content is reduced and seeds become relatively dry (10-15 per cent moisture by mass). The general metabolic activity of the embryo slows down. … As ovules mature into seeds, the ovary develops into a fruit, i.e., the transformation of ovules into seeds and ovary into fruit proceeds simultaneously. The wall of the ovary develops into the wall of fruit called pericarp.”