What is the Difference Between Parthenogenesis and Parthenocarpy?

The main difference between parthenogenesis and parthenocarpy lies in the type of organism they occur in and the outcome of the process:

Parthenocarpy:

• Occurs only in plants.
• Involves the development of fruits without prior fertilization.
• Seedless fruits are produced.
• Offsprings are not produced.
• Examples include banana, watermelon, and pineapple.

Parthenogenesis:

• Occurs in invertebrate animals and lower plants.
• Involves the development of a new organism without fertilization of an ovum.
• Organisms produced are a female clone and cannot reproduce sexually.
• Haploid offsprings are produced.
• Examples include insects, lizards, and honey bees.

In summary, parthenocarpy leads to the development of fruits without seeds in plants, while parthenogenesis results in the formation of a new individual from an unfertilized egg in animals and some lower plants.

Comparative Table: Parthenogenesis vs Parthenocarpy

The main differences between parthenogenesis and parthenocarpy are summarized in the following table:

In parthenocarpy, fruits are produced without prior fertilization, resulting in seedless fruits. This process occurs only in plants and is used by farmers to prepare seedless fruits. On the other hand, parthenogenesis is a phenomenon that occurs in invertebrate animals and lower plants, enabling an unfertilized egg to develop into a new individual, typically a clone of the female and often haploid.