Question

Which of the following is the edible portion in pears?
A) Epicarp and mesocarp
B) Mesocarp and endocarp
C) Pseudocarp
D) Pericarp and pseudocarp

Answer 1

Several species of pears are usually valued for their edible form of fruits and their juices while others are cultivated as trees. This is due to the quality of the fruit and their taste.

Complete answer:
The pear tree belongs to the genus of Pyrus and family rosaceae. The pear trees are medium-sized. They are mostly found in coastal and mildly temperate regions of Europe, North Africa, and Asia. Apart from their fruit, pear wood is one of the preferred materials for their manufacturing of good quality woodwind instruments and furniture.

Let us analyze the options to find out what forms the edible portion of pear.

Option A: The outermost layer of the pericarp is called epicarp while mesocarp is the middle layer of a fruit that is found between the exocarp and endocarp. The pear fruit is not formed through epicarp or mesocarp.Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option B: Endocarp is the innermost layer of the fruit pericarp. It may be woody (cherry) or membranous (apples) while mesocarp is the middle layer. None of these forms the edible portion of pear fruit.Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option C: Pear is an accessory fruit which is also called as pseudo fruit or pseudocarp as in this the edible part of the fruit is obtained from adjacent tissue near the carpel rather than the ovary. The edible portion has cellular flesh which is the true fruit of the plant. They also have the presence of stamens, petals and sepals.Therefore, this is the correct option.

Option D: Pericarp is not involved in the formation of pear edible portions. Pseudocarp is involved but it aone forms the edible part not with pericarp. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Thus, the correct option is (C) Pseudocarp.
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Note: Nearly 3000 varieties of pears are grown throughout the world. It is usually consumed fresh, canned, in the form of juice, or sometimes dried. China is amongst the main producers of Pear in the world.