Question

Milky water of green tender coconut is:
(a) Liquid nucellus
(b) Liquid of female gametophyte
(c) Liquid endosperm
(d) Liquid chalaza

Answer 1

Milky water of green tender (young fruit) of coconut is formed by karyokinesis (nuclear division) which is not followed by cytokinesis (cytoplasmic division). Thus, the milky water of coconut is in the syncytium stage.

Complete answer:
The milky water of coconut is the liquid endosperm of that seed whose function is to provide nourishment to the developing embryo. The special thing about this water is that it is in the syncytial stage which means a multinucleate stage. What it means is that many free-floating nuclei are found in this water without any cell membrane covering them. As the coconut matures with time (turning from green to brown), there is no liquid endosperm left in it as the embryo fully consumed it during development.

Additional Information:

Let us know more about the milky water of coconut.
-The syncytial stage of this milky water has different stages indicating the extent of the maturation of the coconut fruit.
-In the early stage of syncytial nuclei, the number of nuclei is less than 1000 per ml.
-When the coconut fruits are two months old, the syncytial nuclei form cytoplasmic aggregations that are 10-20 micrometers in diameter.
-The syncytial nuclei of 20-40 micrometers are seen in the three-month-old stage.
-As time passes these nuclei condense into a dense spherical membrane and organize themselves into a sheet-like structure and settle over the lower regions of the endothelium.
-This settled syncytium along with the endothelium hardened over time to form the matured kernel.

So, the correct option is ‘Liquid endosperm’.

Note:
-In botany, there are types of endosperms found known as nuclear, helobial, and cellular.
-In the initial stages, liquid endosperm was nuclear in nature but with time it becomes cellular endosperm.
-The settlement of syncytial nuclei over endothelium is more on the antipodal side and gradually becomes less as we move up.