Module: | Pre-fertilization: Micro/Megasporogenesis
Q19: Consider the following statements regarding free-nuclear and cellular endosperm development:
1. In free-nuclear endosperm development, the PEN undergoes successive nuclear divisions without immediate cell wall formation.
2. The liquid water of a tender coconut represents the free-nuclear endosperm consisting of thousands of nuclei.
3. The surrounding white kernel of the mature coconut represents the cellular endosperm, formed when cell wall formation subsequently occurs.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. The liquid water of a tender coconut represents the free-nuclear endosperm consisting of thousands of nuclei.
3. The surrounding white kernel of the mature coconut represents the cellular endosperm, formed when cell wall formation subsequently occurs.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: D
The correct option is D. All three statements are correct.
Endosperm development precedes embryo development to guarantee a ready food supply.
The most common type of development is the free-nuclear type, where the primary endosperm nucleus undergoes multiple mitotic divisions completely devoid of cytokinesis (cell wall formation), creating a vast syncytium of free nuclei.
A classic, highly tested real-world example of this is the tender coconut.
The refreshing coconut water is entirely composed of free-nuclear endosperm containing thousands of floating triploid nuclei.
Over time, as the seed matures, cell wall formation begins from the periphery and moves inward, converting the outer layer of the nuclear mass into a solid tissue.
This solid white meat, or kernel, is the cellular endosperm.
Endosperm development precedes embryo development to guarantee a ready food supply.
The most common type of development is the free-nuclear type, where the primary endosperm nucleus undergoes multiple mitotic divisions completely devoid of cytokinesis (cell wall formation), creating a vast syncytium of free nuclei.
A classic, highly tested real-world example of this is the tender coconut.
The refreshing coconut water is entirely composed of free-nuclear endosperm containing thousands of floating triploid nuclei.
Over time, as the seed matures, cell wall formation begins from the periphery and moves inward, converting the outer layer of the nuclear mass into a solid tissue.
This solid white meat, or kernel, is the cellular endosperm.