Anurag and Amit (students of class Xlth) were best friends, one day during the lunch time Anurag , gave naashpati (Pyrus) to Amit (as he was fond of that). Amit refused to eat it because he did not like them due to their hardness as compared to apples. Anurag reached home and told her mother (a botanist) that he will also not eat naashpati’s. His mother corrected him and told him that he should eat it, as it containes the calcium for the growth of the body.
(i) What is the reason for the difference in the softness in apple and naashpati fruits?
(ii) What are sclereids?
(iii) What values are inferred from Anurag mother’s character?
(i) Abundant presence of sclereids in the naashpati fruit.
(ii) Sclereids are sclerenchymatous cells which are short and possess extremely thick lamellated lignified walls.
(iii) She was concerned about the health of her son as fruits are the source of providing necessary minerals and vitamins to the body.