In botany and horticulture, parthenocarpic literally means virgin fruit; the fruit develops without fertilization of ovules, therefore it is seedless. Parthenocarpy occasionally occurs as a mutation in nature, but it is a defect, as the plant can no longer reproduce.
Humans, however, often see seedlessness as a desirable quality and have selected and artificially propagated parthenocarpic varieties of many plants, including citrus, banana, cucumber, and eggplant.
In some areas lack of pollinators has induced human cultivation of parthenocarpic varieties. Plants moved from one area of the world to another may not always be accompanied by their pollinating partner.
In botany and horticulture, parthenocarpic literally means virgin fruit; the fruit develops without fertilization of ovules, therefore it is seedless.
Parthenocarpy occasionally occurs as a mutation in nature, but it is a defect, as the plant can no longer reproduce.
Humans, however, often see seedlessness as a desirable quality and have selected and artificially propagated parthenocarpic varieties of many plants, including citrus, banana, cucumber, and eggplant.
These results indicate that parthenocarpy is controlled by a single locus, with incomplete dominance in the direction of parthenocarpic expression.
Parthenocarpy involves development of the ovary into a fruit without fertilization and seed formation, under the influence of exogenous hormones or endogenous genetic stimuli.
Parthenocarpy in summer squash has received less attention, but may enable squash to be grown in greenhouses and in the field out-of-season, when staminate flowers or pollinating insects may be absent.
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