Banana plants, which are triploid, are seedless and therefore sterile. Propose a possible explanation.

The number of chromosome sets present in a cell is referred to as ploidy.In other words, it is the number of chromosomes present in the cell nucleus.

The chromosomes usually occur in pairs and are described as called diploids.However, cells with a single set of chromosomes are called haploids, such as gametes cells.

Similarly, cells with three sets of chromosomes are called triploids. Thus, polyploids are cells that have three or more three sets of chromosomes.

Meiosis is cell division that occurs in diploid cells. It involves two nuclear divisions that produce haploid daughter cells. These cells possess one set of chromosomes, which means the chromosome number is reduced to half.

During meiosis, the chromosome set is split to produce gametes or germ cells with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. As a result, haploid gametes cells are produced.

The gametes fertilize to produce a zygote that gives rise to a diploid organism.

In diploid organisms, the homologous chromosomes pair up during synapsis of prophase I.However, bananas have an extra set of chromosomes. This chromosome set with no homologous set fails to pair up during synapsis.

Thus, meiosis is disrupted, and no viable gametes are produced. These gametes cannot form a zygote with triploid sets of chromosomes. As a result, the bananas are seedless and sterile.