Parthenocarpy: When You Don't Want Seeds In Your Fruit

Are you irritated when you munch on grapes and you crunch on a bunch of seeds? If so, you may just love the concept of parthenocarpy.

What is parthenocarpy? Simply, it is the development of fruit without seeds, and it can occur naturally or artificially. A related process, stenospermocarpy, produces fruit with seeds that die so early in their development process, that the fruit appears to be seedless.

Learn about further differences between the two processes, including how they happen and why sometimes they are desirable, and why they sometimes are not.

Photo: Fruit slices, seeded and seedless. USDA-ARS.