Read the passage and answer the following questions .

In the process of sexual reproduction in angiosperms, the seed serves as the final product. It is formed from a fertilized ovule and is typically enclosed within a fruit. A seed is composed of several parts, including seed coats, cotyledons, and an embryo axis. The cotyledons of the embryo are simple structures that are often thick and swollen, storing food reserves, particularly in legumes. Mature seeds can be classified as albuminous (with endosperm) or ex-albuminous (with reduced endosperm). The integuments of the ovules harden to become protective seed coats, and a small pore called the micropyle remains, enabling the entry of oxygen and water during seed germination. As the ovules develop into seeds, the ovary undergoes transformation into a fruit. This simultaneous process involves the ovules turning into seeds, and the ovary walls developing into the fruit's pericarp. Fruits come in different types, including fleshy fruits like guava, orange, and mango, as well as dry fruits such as groundnut and mustard. Many fruits have evolved mechanisms for the dispersal of seeds.

Some plants are able to develop fruits without fertilization :

(i) These are called parthenocarpic fruits .

(ii) These are seedless.

(iii)Common examples : Mango, Banana, Apple etc.

(i) and (ii) only .

The correct answer is Option (3) – (i) and (ii) only .

There are a few species in which fruits develop without fertilisation. Such fruits are called parthenocarpic fruits. Banana is one such example. Parthenocarpy can be induced through the application of growth hormones and such fruits are seedless.

Parthenocarpic fruits are fruits that develop without fertilization. In these cases, fruit development is initiated without the need for pollination or fertilization of the ovules. Bananas are an example of parthenocarpic fruits. They are seedless because they do not require fertilization to initiate fruit development.

Parthenocarpy has practical significance in horticulture as it allows the production of seedless fruits, which are often preferred by consumers due to their convenience and absence of seeds.