Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Biology

Chapter

Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Question:

Read the passage and answer the following questions .

The primary cell of the endosperm undergoes repeated divisions, resulting in the formation of a triploid endosperm tissue. This tissue contains reserve food materials that serve as nutrition for the developing embryo. The most common type of endosperm development involves the successive nuclear divisions of the primary endosperm cell, leading to the formation of free nuclei. This stage is known as the free-nuclear endosperm. Eventually, cell wall formation occurs, and the endosperm transitions into a cellular state. The number of free nuclei formed before cellularization varies significantly. In the case of tender coconuts, the liquid known as coconut water is composed of a free-nuclear endosperm consisting of thousands of nuclei, while the surrounding white kernel represents the cellular endosperm. Endosperm can either be fully consumed by the developing embryo before seed maturation (e.g., pea, groundnut, beans) or persist in the mature seed and be utilized during seed germination (e.g., castor and coconut). By observing the seeds of castor, peas, beans, groundnut, and coconut, one can identify the presence of endosperm in each case. The embryo develops at the micropylar end of the embryo sac where the zygote is located. Zygotes typically divide after a certain amount of endosperm is formed, ensuring reliable nutrition for the developing embryo. Although seeds differ greatly, the early stages of embryo development (embryogeny) exhibit similarities between monocotyledons and dicotyledons. A typical dicotyledonous embryo consists of an embryonal axis and two cotyledons. The epicotyl, located above the cotyledons, terminates with the plumule or stem tip. The cylindrical portion below the cotyledons is called the hypocotyl, which ends with the radicle or root tip. The root tip is protected by a root cap. In contrast, embryos of monocotyledons possess only one cotyledon, referred to as the scutellum in the grass family. The scutellum is positioned laterally to the embryonal axis

 

In a tender coconut, the liquid inside is primarily composed of:

Options:

Cellular endosperm

Free-nuclear endosperm

Embryonal axis

Radicle

Correct Answer:

Free-nuclear endosperm

Explanation:

The correct answer is option (2) - Free-nuclear endosperm

The liquid inside a tender coconut is primarily composed of free-nuclear endosperm. This is because the endosperm is in the early stages of development and has not yet formed cell walls. The free nuclei are suspended in a watery solution, which is what we know as coconut water.

As the coconut matures, the endosperm cells begin to form cell walls and the liquid content decreases. The mature coconut contains a solid white kernel of cellular endosperm, which is surrounded by a layer of coconut water