Part 8 — Advanced, Assertion–Reason & Application-based NEET-Style Questions (Questions 176–200)

Part 8 — Advanced, Assertion–Reason & Application-based NEET-Style Questions (Q.176–200)

Q176. Assertion (A): Taproot systems are common in dicotyledonous plants. Reason (R): They originate from the radicle of the seed.

A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the explanation
C) A true, R false
D) A false, R true

Answer: A
Explanation:

• A) Correct – dicots (e.g., beans, peas) typically have taproots.

• R) Correct – taproots develop from the radicle of the embryo.

• Hence both are true, and R explains A.

Q177. Assertion (A): Adventitious roots arise from radicle. Reason (R): They develop from parts other than radicle, like stem nodes and internodes.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A false, R true
D) A true, R false

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) False – adventitious roots do not arise from radicle.

• R) True – they arise from stem/leaf parts (e.g., grasses, banyan prop roots).

Q178. The presence of pneumatophores is an adaptation for:

A) Water absorption
B) Photosynthesis in leaves
C) Respiration in waterlogged soils
D) Nitrogen fixation

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) Wrong – water absorbed mainly by root hairs.

• B) Wrong – photosynthesis occurs in green leaves.

• C) Correct – pneumatophores (e.g., Avicennia) have lenticels for gaseous exchange in swampy soils.

• D) Wrong – nitrogen fixation is bacterial.

Q179. Assertion (A): Potato and ginger are stems. Reason (R): They bear nodes, internodes and axillary buds.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• Potato tuber and ginger rhizome are modified stems, not roots.

• Presence of nodes, internodes, buds confirm stem nature.

Q180. Which modification of stem helps in vegetative propagation?

A) Rhizome
B) Tuber
C) Runner
D) All of these

Answer: D
Explanation:

• A) Rhizome (ginger) – vegetative propagation.

• B) Tuber (potato) – eyes are buds.

• C) Runner (strawberry) – creeps and forms new plants.

• D) Correct – all help propagation.

Q181. Assertion (A): Compound leaves are identified by presence of axillary bud at base of each leaflet. Reason (R): In compound leaves, axillary buds occur at base of whole leaf, not each leaflet.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, R does not explain A
C) A false, R true
D) Both false

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) False – axillary bud is at base of whole leaf only.

• R) True – leaflets do not have axillary buds.

Q182. The venation in banana leaf is:

A) Reticulate
B) Parallel
C) Palmate
D) Dichotomous

Answer: B
Explanation:

• A) Reticulate – dicots.

• B) Correct – banana is monocot with large parallel venation.

• C) Palmate – radiating from single point (maple).

• D) Dichotomous – ferns/Ginkgo.

Q183. Assertion (A): Inflorescence is defined as arrangement of flowers on floral axis. Reason (R): Racemose inflorescences show acropetal succession of flowers.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: B
Explanation:

• A) True – inflorescence is arrangement of flowers.

• R) True – in racemose, older at base, younger at top.

• But R is not explaining definition of inflorescence.

Q184. In a hypogynous flower, the ovary is:

A) Inferior
B) Half-inferior
C) Superior
D) Absent

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) Inferior = epigynous.

• B) Half-inferior = perigynous.

• C) Correct – hypogynous flowers (mustard, brinjal) have superior ovary.

• D) Ovary is always present in flowers.

Q185. Assertion (A): A drupe is a simple fleshy fruit. Reason (R): It develops from multicarpellary syncarpous ovary.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) True – drupe (mango, coconut).

• R) False – drupe is monocarpellary (single carpel, superior ovary).

Q186. In legumes (peas, beans), fruit dehisces along:

A) One suture only
B) Both dorsal and ventral sutures
C) Transverse lines
D) Remains indehiscent

Answer: B
Explanation:

• A) Suture is in follicle, not legume.

• B) Correct – legumes split along both sutures.

• C) Transverse = capsule.

• D) Indehiscent = nuts.

Q187. Assertion (A): Seeds of castor and maize are endospermic. Reason (R): They retain endosperm in mature seed stage.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, R does not explain A
C) A false, R true
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• A) True – maize (monocot) and castor (dicot) retain endosperm.

• R) True – correct reason for classification as endospermic.

Q188. Aleurone layer in maize seed is:

A) Part of embryo
B) Part of endosperm
C) Part of seed coat
D) Not present

Answer: B
Explanation:

• A) Wrong – embryo includes scutellum, plumule, radicle.

• B) Correct – aleurone layer is outer protein-rich endosperm.

• C) Seed coat from integuments.

• D) Present in cereals.

Q189. Assertion (A): In dicot seeds, cotyledons act as food storage organs. Reason (R): Endosperm is absent in most dicot seeds.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• A) True – cotyledons store food (bean, pea).

• R) True – dicots usually non-endospermic.

• R explains A.

Q190. Which family is characterised by epigynous flowers with inferior ovary and unisexual flowers?

A) Solanaceae
B) Fabaceae
C) Cucurbitaceae
D) Brassicaceae

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) Solanaceae – hypogynous, superior ovary.

• B) Fabaceae – superior ovary.

• C) Correct – cucurbits (pumpkin, cucumber).

• D) Brassicaceae – superior ovary.

Q191. Assertion (A): In sunflower, what appears to be a single flower is actually an inflorescence. Reason (R): Capitulum inflorescence has many florets grouped together.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• Sunflower head (capitulum) contains ray + disc florets.

• Both A and R are correct, and R explains A.

Q192. The placentation in mustard is:

A) Axile
B) Marginal
C) Parietal
D) Free central

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) Axile – tomato, lemon.

• B) Marginal – pea.

• C) Correct – mustard has parietal placentation.

• D) Free central – Dianthus.

Q193. Assertion (A): Brinjal and potato belong to the same family. Reason (R): Both share characters like actinomorphic flowers, epipetalous stamens and bicarpellary ovary.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• A) True – Solanaceae family.

• R) True – they share floral formula features.

Q194. In Solanaceae, fruit is generally:

A) Capsule or berry
B) Drupe
C) Nut
D) Siliqua

Answer: A
Explanation:

• A) Correct – tomato (berry), Datura (capsule).

• B) Drupe – mango.

• C) Nut – cashew.

• D) Siliqua – mustard.

Q195. Assertion (A): A cypsela fruit is characteristic of Asteraceae. Reason (R): It develops from bicarpellary, syncarpous, inferior ovary.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• Cypsela = sunflower family.

• Inferior ovary with one seed, persistent pappus calyx.

Q196. Application: A pea seed is boiled, then cut open. What will you NOT find?

A) Cotyledons
B) Embryo axis
C) Endosperm
D) Radicle

Answer: C
Explanation:

• A) Present – food storage.

• B, D) Embryo present.

• C) Correct – pea is non-endospermic dicot.

Q197. Assertion (A): A caryopsis is the characteristic fruit of grasses. Reason (R): In caryopsis, seed coat is fused with pericarp.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• A) Correct – wheat, rice fruits.

• R) Correct – pericarp and seed coat inseparable.

Q198. Application: You dissect a flower and find zygomorphic corolla, diadelphous stamens, superior ovary. The flower most likely belongs to:

A) Solanaceae
B) Fabaceae
C) Liliaceae
D) Asteraceae

Answer: B
Explanation:

• A) Solanaceae – actinomorphic, epipetalous.

• B) Correct – Fabaceae (pea, bean).

• C) Monocot family, trimerous flowers.

• D) Capitulum inflorescence.

Q199. Assertion (A): Albuminous seeds retain endosperm at maturity. Reason (R): Maize, castor, coconut are albuminous seeds.

A) Both A and R true, R explains A
B) Both A and R true, but R does not explain A
C) A true, R false
D) Both false

Answer: A
Explanation:

• A) Correct – albuminous = endospermic.

• R) Correct – maize, castor, coconut are examples.

Q200. Application: A student observes a fruit with fibrous mesocarp and hard endocarp enclosing a seed. Which fruit is it?

A) Mango
B) Coconut
C) Mustard
D) Tomato

Answer: B
Explanation:

• A) Mango – fleshy drupe, not fibrous.

• B) Correct – coconut = drupe with fibrous mesocarp.

• C) Mustard – siliqua.

• D) Tomato – berry.

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