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Question #45337
The Question
In angiosperms like Piper nigrum (black pepper), post-fertilization metabolic flux must be divided between developing protective structures and nutritive tissues. Under high biotic stress from seed predators, the plant may exhibit an internal 'resource partitioning' strategy, allocating more carbon to thicken the fruit wall at the expense of internal nutrient reserves. Which of the following statements regarding this physiological trade-off is INCORRECT?
Options
- A.
The thickened protective structure is the pericarp, which differentiates directly from the diploid ovary wall.
- B.
The depleted nutritive tissue is the perisperm, which serves as a competing sink formed from the persistent remnants of the triploid endosperm.
- C.
This internal resource partitioning limits the metabolic flux available for the seed's nutritive tissues, reflecting an evolutionary survival trade-off.
- D.
The pericarp and perisperm act as competing metabolic sinks for sucrose transported via the phloem during fruit maturation.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Comparative_Analysis
Sharpen your ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and distinguish between competing potential answers.
Concepts Behind This Question
Pericarp|Perisperm|Resource Partitioning
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot & Functional Confusion: The question uses a high-level ecological and physiological scenario (metabolic flux, resource partitioning, source-sink dynamics) to induce cognitive load.
The actual trap relies on a fundamental NCERT morphological fact: distinguishing the origin of the Perisperm (nucellus) from the Endosperm (Primary Endosperm Nucleus).
Students frequently conflate the two because both serve nutritive functions in mature seeds.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants - Class 12 |
| Concept | Perisperm vs Pericarp |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |