Fruit Formation: Parts and Types of Fruits

Fruits are rich in various minerals and vitamins. They serve numerous health benefits- be it better immunity, glowing skin, healthy hair, or overall good health- and different fruits come to our rescue for each of these concerns.

• Thus, fruits are an integral part of a balanced diet for humans.
• Fruits are a characteristic feature of flowering plants (angiosperms), as the maturation of one or more flowers results in fruit formation.
• Fruits develop from ripened or matured ovaries of the flowers.
• Usually, this happens after fertilization. However, some fruits are formed without fertilization.
• These are called parthenocarpic fruits.
• The seeds and epicarp are the main parts of the fruit.

Key Terms: Fruits, Fertilization, Angiosperms, Epicarp, Mesocarp, Endocarp, Parthenocarpic fruits, Apocarpous, Seeds, Flowering plant, Pericarp, Endosperm

What is a Fruit?

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• Fruits include apricots, bananas, grapes, corn grain, bean pods, tomatoes, cucumbers, acorns, and almonds.
• Fruit farming is the process of cultivating and treating fruits.
• Fruit processing is used to prepare fruits and improve their nutrient composition. 
• Many animals are attracted to pulpy fruits with high sugar content, and these animals then disperse the seeds of fruits to other locations.
• Non-fleshy fruits use various methods for seed dispersal.
• Some plants can produce fruits without fertilization.
• This process is known as parthenocarpy, and the fruits are seedless.
• During ovary development, the wall thickens and differentiates into three distinct layers.

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How are Fruits Formed?

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The seed-bearing structure of angiosperms (flowering plants) is known as fruit. It is formed when the ovaries mature or are ripe. The process of fruit formation, which is a result of the maturation of one or more flowers, involves the following steps.

• Pollination, i.e., the movement of pollen from the stamens to the stigma of the flowers results in the formation of a tube through the stigma that passes into the ovary and to the ovule.
• Also, two sperms are transferred to the megagametophyte from the pollen.
• One of the two sperms fertilizes the egg within the megagametophyte and zygote formation takes place.
• The second sperm enters the central cell and forms the endosperm mother cell. This completes the double fertilization process.
• Further, the zygote forms the embryos of the seed while the endosperm mother cell produces the endosperm, which provides nutrition for the embryo.
• As the seeds develop into ovules, the ovary begins to ripen and the ovary wall (pericarp) may become fleshy or a hard outer covering.

What are the Different Parts of a Fruit?

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The fruit primarily has 2 parts. These are

• Pericarp
• Seeds

The pericarp may differentiate into other layers i.e. the epicarp (exocarp), mesocarp, and endocarp, while the seed comprises endosperm, embryo, and the seed coat.

Pericarp

The ovary wall of the flower on maturation forms the pericarp. The pericarp is often edible It may be fleshy like that in fruits such as Guava or mango or hard like that in nuts such as Walnuts.

The fleshy pericarp can be differentiated into distinct layers namely:

• Epicarp: it is the outermost layer. It forms the peel.
• Mesocarp: it is the middle, fleshy, and edible part.
• Endocarp: it is the innermost layer or the rough textured part portion where the seed is enclosed.

Seeds

The ripened ovules form the seeds. A seed comprises the following:

• Seed coat: it is the outermost covering of the seed. Its function is to protect the seed.
• Endosperm: it is the layer after the seed coat. Its function is to provide nutrition to the embryo.
• Embryo: it is the innermost part of the seed, formed by the fertilization of the male and the female gametes.

What are the Different Types of Fruits?

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Fruits can be classified into various types based on factors such as:

• Mode of Development or Type of Ovaries
• Number of flowers and ovaries involved
• Based on whether the fruit is formed from the ovaries or not

Mode of Development or Type of Ovaries

According to the mode of development or type of ovaries, fruits are classified as

• Apocarpous: Fruit development occurs from a single flower with one or more separate carpels.
• Syncarpous: Fruit development occurs from a single gynoecium with two or more carpels that are fused together.

Number of flowers and ovaries involved

According to the number of flowers and ovaries involved, fruits are classified as

Simple Fruits

These develop from a single matured ovary in a single flower. For example, Apple, Banana, Cherry, Tomato, Plum, Pear.

Simple fruits can further be classified as:

• Drupes: They have a very hard seed enclosed inside the fruit. Hence, they are also called stone fruits since they contain a very hard seed inside the simple fruits. For e.g., Peach, Plum, Mango, Coconut.
• Berries: They are fleshy and juicy fruits with one or more seeds. For e.g., Grapes and blueberries.
• Pomes: These are fruits that bloom from the trees. They develop from the fleshy thalamus. For e.g., Papaya, Apple.
• Pepo: These are similar to berries but have a hard rind and numerous flattened seeds. For e.g., Watermelon, Cucumber, Squash, Pumpkin.
• Hesperidium: These are fleshy fruits, similar to berries but have a leathery rind and parchment-like partitions. Fruits of this type are typical fruits of the citrus family (Rutaceae). For e.g., Lemon, Grapefruit, Orange.

Aggregate Fruits

These are fruits that develop from a number of matured ovaries in a single flower. The individual ovaries are known as “fruitlets”, and the fruitlets are collectively known as “etaerio”. For e.g., Strawberry and raspberry.

Compound Fruits (Multiple Fruits)

These fruits develop from a cluster of flowers or inflorescence. A single fruit develops on the maturing of an inflorescence/cluster. For e.g., Pineapple and mulberry.

Based on whether the fruit is formed from the ovaries or not

Based on whether the fruit is formed from the ovaries or not, fruits are classified as

• True fruits: These are fruits that develop from the ovaries of the flower. For e.g., Mango.
• False fruits: These are fruits in which other parts of the flower, such as the thalamus and petals take part in the fruit formation. For e.g., Apple.

Things to Remember

• Fruit is a pulpy or dry ripening ovary of a flowering plant, surrounded by one or more seeds.
• Fruits include apricots, bananas, grapes, corn grain, bean pods, tomatoes, cucumbers, acorns, and almonds.
• The fruit primarily has 2 parts, Pericarp and Seeds.
• Fruits are characteristic of angiosperms, where the ovaries develop into fruits and the ovules develop into seeds inside the fruit.
• In gymnosperms, the ovules develop into seeds and are not enclosed inside fruits.
• The pericarp in Mango is well-differentiated into a thin outer epicarp, a middle fleshy mesocarp that is edible, and a hard inner endocarp.
• The mesocarp of coconut is fibrous.
• Parthenocarpic fruits are those which are formed without the fertilization of the ovaries.
• Tomato, Orange, Melon, and Banana are some examples of true fruits.
• Pineapple, Strawberry, and Cashew are some examples of false fruits.

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