What changes occur in a flower after fertilization as a fruit forms?

Following fertilization, a flower undergoes significant physiological and structural transformations to facilitate the development of a fruit, which serves to protect and disseminate the seed.1

Key changes include:

• Floral Senescence: The anthers and stigma wither, and the petals typically drop off. The sepals may either be shed or undergo modifications.1
• Ovary Development: The ovary undergoes rapid enlargement and cell division, eventually maturing into the fruit.21
• Seed Formation: The ovules within the ovary develop into seeds, each containing an embryo. This process is initiated by double fertilization, where one sperm cell fertilizes the egg to form the embryo, and another combines with polar nuclei to initiate the development of endosperm, a nutrient-rich tissue.14
• Maturation: As embryonic development progresses, the seeds often enter a period of dormancy, characterized by dehydration and the hardening of integuments into seed coats.2

In some instances, these changes can occur without fertilization through a process known as parthenocarpy, where pollination alone stimulates the ovary to enlarge into a seedless fruit.13