Proximate Limitations to Fruit and Seed Set in Phellodendron amurense var. sachalinense

Abstract Fruit and seed set in a dioecious tree, Phellodendron amurense var. sachalinense grown in isolation, were studied for three years in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Hand pollination did not affect fruit set during the three years, but did affect seed-set by increasing the proportion of fruits with higher seed numbers. Artificial defoliation resulted in decreased mean seed mass, but caused no significant differences in mean seed number per fruit. Total seed mass per infructescence increased with inflorescence size except with artificial defoliation where it reached an upper limit. Although the results of the artificial defoliation treatment indicate that resources are most important for fruit and seed set, it is concluded that fruit and seed set of the tree are not limited by resources, since the number of fruits increased with inflorescence size and an artificial defoliation treatment did not decrease seed-number.     

大花百子莲的结实和结籽格局及种子产量影响因素分析

在2007和2008年对大花百子莲(Agapanthus praecox subsp.orientalis‘Big Blue’)在群体、果序和单果水平上的结实和结籽格局进行了观测,并依据每花序单花数、单花胚珠数和单粒种子质量推算其单株潜在种子产量;此外,采用人工补充授粉方法研究了不同授粉方式对大花百子莲结实和结籽的影响,并对其种子产量的影响因素进行了分析。结果表明:从始花期、盛花期至末花期,随开花时间的延迟,大花百子莲植株的每花序单花数和座果率均逐渐降低,其中始花期开花的植株每花序单花数和座果率均最高。从果序基部、中部至顶端,座果率和结籽率均逐渐减小且差异显著。在果序基部和中部,果实内种子败育率沿果实基部至顶端依次降低,而单粒种子质量则依次增加;且果序基部的果实各部位的种子败育率均低于果序中部的果实,而单粒种子质量则差异不大。大花百子莲的单株潜在种子产量约为43.18 g,而其单株实际种子产量约为2.87 g,远低于其潜在种子产量。自然授粉的大花百子莲每柱头花粉数为27.5粒,而自花授粉、同株异花授粉和异株授粉的每柱头花粉数均超过100粒;与自然授粉、自花授粉和同株异花授粉植株相比,异株授粉植株的座果率和结籽率均显著增加。研究结果显示:大花百子莲的结实和结籽格局呈现非随机分布规律,在引种地存在有性繁殖障碍;养分和授粉状况是制约大花百子莲种子产量的重要因素。     

Effects of resource availability, and fruit and ovule position on components of fecundity in Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae)

In four field and glasshouse experiments designed to alter the supply of resources through manipulation of nutrients, root tissue, leaf area and fruit number in Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae), more than 99% of ovules per plant showed signs of fertilization, suggesting that seed production in this plant was not pollen limited. However, in all treatments a significant proportion of fruits and seeds did not develop to maturity. Total fruit and seed production did not differ significantly from controls when plants were given nutrient supplements at flowering. Removal of 50–75% of the root tissue in 1-yr-old plants significantly reduced fruit set, but had no effect on individual seed development. Removal of cauline leaves significantly reduced most measures of fruit and seed production, suggesting that current photosynthate is critical for fruit and seed filling. Seed maturation was significantly affected by both fruit position within an infructescence and ovule position within a fruit. Basally located fruits and ovules (within fruits) developed more mature seeds than distally positioned fruits and ovules. Plants responded to removal of basal fruits by re-allocating resources to distal fruits that would normally have aborted. Our results suggest that fruits and seeds act as reproductive sinks competing for parental photosynthate. Patterns of resource allocation within infructescences and fruits were also modified by our experiments.     

Influence of pollination systems on fruit set and fruit quality in kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa)

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa (Chev.) Liang and Ferguson) is a dioecious species highly pollination dependent, since fruit size is directly correlated with seed number. To evaluate the best pollination system for this species a study of two natural and two artificial pollination systems was carried out and their effect on fruit set and fruit quality was determined. While anemophilous pollination produced few and small fruits, that were not commercially acceptable, high fruit set percentages and good quality fruits were obtained when insects participated in the pollination process. Artificial pollination, performed as hand pollination, improved yield quantity and quality. When environmental conditions impair insect activity this method can be an useful agricultural practice in order to assure a good yield.     

Flowering dynamics in Arum italicum (Araceae): relative role of inflorescence traits, flowering synchrony, and pollination context on fruit initiation

We studied the relative role of inflorescence traits, flowering synchrony, and pollination context for infructescence and fruit initiation in two Spanish populations of Arum italicum, a species in which inflorescences are the pollination unit. In this species, a specialized inflorescence organ, the appendix, is important for pollinator attraction. However, the short floral longevity and the production of mostly one inflorescence per plant make its pollination potentially dependent on strong flowering synchrony and on external factors not controlled by the plant (the pollination context). The flowering period in both sites lasted >3 mo. Day-to-day variation in simultaneous antheses was high, and 11-50% of antheses occurred on days during which no pollen donor was present. Inflorescence traits, flowering synchrony, and between-plant distance all influenced infructescence and fruit initiation, but their relative importance differed between sites. In one large population, infructescence initiation was positively related to inflorescence traits; in a smaller population infructescence initiation increased with the number of donor inflorescences. In both sites, percentage of fruits initiated per infructescence was dependent on a combination of inflorescence traits, flowering synchrony, and between-plant distance. Plants producing 2-4 inflorescences had higher probability of infructescence initiation and overlapped their antheses with more plants than single-inflorescence ones.     

The effect of unripe fruits on ripe fruit removal by birds in Pistacia terebinthus: flag or handicap?

The shrub Pistacia terebinthus produces crowded infructescences with up to several hundred fruits, which are bright red when unripe and turn green when ripe. Most fruits contain an empty seed and never reach maturity. More ripe fruits were removed by birds from experimental bicolored fruit displays (consisting of infructescences with ten ripe fruits and stripped of unripe fruits, paired with infructescences with only unripe fruits) than from monocolored ones (single infructescences with ten ripe fruits and stripped of unripe fruits). Thus, the presence of unripe fruits seems to increase the conspicuousness or attractiveness of fruit displays to fruit-eating birds. A second experiment compared ripe fruit removal from experimental infructescences having only ripe fruits, with that from control infructescences containing both ripe fruits and natural numbers of unripe fruits, all on P. terebinthus plants. Unlike the first experiment, each bicolored display in this case consisted of a single infructescence with both unripe and ripe fruits. A higher proportion of ripe fruits was removed by birds from infructescences free of unripe fruits. This result suggests that the presence of unripe fruits reduces the accessibility of ripe fruits for fruit-eating birds. This is further supported by field observations of bird foraging behavior.     

人工授粉对火龙果果实发育的影响

于开花期对红皮红肉类型火龙果进行人工授粉与自然授粉处理,并对不同发育阶段的子房或果实进行解剖观察,以研究人工授粉对果实发育的影响.结果表明:人工授粉可提高火龙果的平均单果重和商品果率,平均单果重与果实内种子数呈显著正相关关系;火龙果子房为多胚珠结构,子房内有若干“珠柄-胚珠”单元,胚珠在开花后发育成种子,珠柄则发育成肉...     

应用结构方程模型解析影响黄连木果实产量 和种子命运的因素

果实(种子)产量和质量是影响植物种群更新的重要因素。为了探明影响黄连木果实产量和种子命运的因素以及这些影响因素之间的相互作用, 作者于2009年对河南省济源市45株黄连木(Pistacia chinensis)结果样树的植株特征、果实特征、果实产量和种子命运等进行了测定, 并用结构方程模型进行综合分析。结果表明: (1)黄连木果实产量与树高、树冠面积和果序大小等特征成正相关, 但与胸径、果实大小相关性不显著; (2)与捕食者饱和假说的预测不一致, 单株果实产量对黄连木广肩小蜂(Eurytoma plotnikovi)的种子捕食率(即虫蛀率)无显著直接负向效应; (3)树高和果实大小对虫蛀率为显著直接正向效应, 胸径对虫蛀率为显著直接负向效应, 显示黄连木广肩小蜂对植株特征和果实特征有一定的选择能力; (4)空壳率与虫蛀率成显著负相关, 空壳果实越多, 越易逃避黄连木广肩小蜂的寄生, 空壳果实的存在对完好种子起到了一定保护作用, 可能是黄连木防御昆虫寄生的重要机制; (5)空壳率和虫蛀率对种子完好率有显著直接负向效应, 而胸径、果序大小和果实产量对完好率为间接正向效应, 树高和果实大小为间接负向效应。可见, 黄连木植株特征和果实特征均不同程度地影响其果实产量和昆虫寄生, 从而影响黄连木的种子质量和种群更新。     

Banana harvest maturity and fruit position on the quality of ripe fruit

There is an increasing market demand for smaller banana fruit. The way that this is being addressed involves harvesting some fruits on a bunch at a less advanced stage of maturity. Experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of age of fruit at harvest, position of the fruit on the bunch and different banana varieties on the speed of ripening and the quality of the ripe fruit at two different ripening temperatures after being exposed to exogenous ethylene. The maturity of bananas at harvest affected both the speed of ripening and the quality of the ripe fruit. Speed of ripening of fruit at 13°C was slower the more immature the fruit at harvest, but there was no effect on the speed of ripening of harvest maturity at a ripening temperature of 16°C. The effects of harvest maturity and position of the fruit on the bunch on peel colour and texture were significant but so small that they would be unlikely to affect the consumers' perception in a commercial situation. The higher soluble solids, flavour, sweetness and acceptability after ripening of the more mature fruit at harvest was sufficiently high that consumers could probably detect them.     

Facilitation consequences for reproduction of the benefactor cushion plant Laretia acaulis along an elevational gradient: costs or benefits?

Environmental stress may favour facilitative interactions among plants but whether these interactions are positive for the benefactor and how this depends on stress factors, remains to be determined. We studied the effect of beneficiary cover and biomass on reproduction of the benefactor cushion plant Laretia acaulis (Apiaceae) in the central Chilean Andes during three years. Study sites were situated along an elevational gradient at 2600, 2800, 3000 and 3150 m a.s.l. This range comprises a cold‐ and a drought‐stress gradient, with moisture increasing and temperature decreasing with elevation. We studied the effect of natural gradients in beneficiary cover and of experimental cover removal on cushion flower and fruit production. Beneficiary cover had a negative effect on flower production but not on infructescence and fruit densities or fruit weights. A positive effect of beneficiaries on the fraction of flowers converted into fruits was detected for hermaphrodite cushions. The effect of beneficiary cover on flowering was independent of elevation or cushion gender, although these latter factors explained most of the variation. Removing the aboveground parts of the beneficiaries positively affected flowering at 2800 m a.s.l. but not at the other elevations. Our results suggest negative effects of facilitation on L. acaulis flowering, but these are neutralized in fruit production. Surprisingly, this conclusion holds along the entire elevational or stress gradient. This suggests that this system of facilitation is evolutionarily stable and not very sensitive to environmental change. It remains to be tested, however, whether facilitation affects fitness via growth and long‐term survival in these slow‐growing alpine cushions.     

黄山安徽小檗一些分类学性状的变异式样研究

在安徽黄山以安徽小檗(Berberis anhweiensis Ahrendt)为例,对中国小檗属重要分类学性状的变异式样进行了研究.结果表明:在25株安徽小檗各10个果序中,每个果序的果实数目为3～18个,平均为10.12±3.26 个,不同植株之间差异极显著(P＜0.01).成熟果实形状为椭圆形或长圆形,并未见到原始文献描述的倒卵形.在总计2 529个果实中,果实内种子数为1～2个,其中含2粒种子与含1粒种子的果实数分别为1 575个和954个.各果序中含2粒种子果实及含1粒种子果实所占的比例均为0～100%,平均值分别为55.96%±22.94%和40.04%±22.94%,差异极显著(P＜0.01).在25株安徽小檗各2个1年生枝条上,共有427个叶刺,其中单刺所占的比例为76.35%,并且都位于枝条的顶端,2叉刺占5.39%,3叉刺占18.27%,3种类型叶刺在数目上差异极显著(P＜0.01).     

Photooxidative Stress Modulation of Endogenous Phytohormone and Antioxidant Accumulations and Fruit Maturity in Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

A common modern cultivation practice is bagging the fruit bunch if date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) which may influence fruit maturity and nutraceutical quality. Exposure of fruits to photooxidative stress induces changes in the endogenous concentrations of plant hormones and other metabolites, which may cause accelerated fruit maturity. This study was conducted to examine the effect of exposure to direct and indirect sunlight on date palm fruit development. The indirect sunlight treatment was simulated by fruit bunch bagging, a common practice in modern date production. The exposure of date palm fruits to direct sunlight-induced photooxidative stress causing an increased concentration of ascorbic acid and decreased content of chlorophyll, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenols compared to the fruit bagging treatment. Direct sunlight also reduced the concentration of phytohormones, including indoleacetic acid, gibberellin, and zeatin, but increased abscisic acid accumulation. The directly-exposed fruits reached a partially-mature stage (Rutab) in August, whereas the bagged fruits remained at the immature stage (Khalal). This study is the first to describe the biochemical basis of the observed improvement of date palm fruit development in response to reduced light intensity. Besides, it provides insights into controlling date palm fruit maturity and subsequently prolonging the shelf life dates on the tree; thus, extending the marketing period for the benefit of the farmers.

     

不同季节施用KClO3化学调控剂对龙眼促花与果实品质的影响*

在茂名市水果科学研究所实验基地试验研究了不同季节施用以KClO₃为主要成份的龙眼促花调控剂对龙眼促花和果实质量影响的效应。结果表明:按龙眼树冠直径每米施药量180g处理,不同季节施药的促花效果存在显著差别,干旱少雨季节促花效果较佳,湿润多雨季节促花效果较差,促花效果与气候条件、龙眼树体长势及枝梢老熟程度有密切关系;不同季节成熟收获的龙眼果实质量存在一定差异,反季节与正造栽培收获的龙眼相比,可食率提高,果核变小,但糖份含量等品质指标则较差,其中以春末夏初收获的果实个大肉厚,外观较佳,市场销售价较高,因此夏末至秋初干燥季节施药处理、春末夏初收获龙眼的调控方案较适合茂名等冬暖的地区。     

Fruit set variation associated with apozygotic reproduction in sugar beet <Emphasis Type="Italic">Beta vulgaris</Emphasis> L.

Fruit set upon apozygotic reproduction was studied for four years in the msSOAN-5 pollen-sterile inbred sugar beet line. The progenies obtained from pollen-sterile plants by apozygotic reproduction had both fruits with normal seeds and parthenocarpic fruits without seeds, which was not an occasional event. Growth conditions proved to strongly affect the fruit set and seed quality. For instance, water deficiency during early plant development increased the proportion of parthenocarpic seeds. Water deficiency combined with a lower temperature during flowering additionally caused a substantial decrease in the total number of fruits. Under the same growth conditions, related accessions did not differ in seed productivity, but varied in the proportion of normal (with seeds) and parthenocarpic (without seeds) fruits.     

Fruit set variation associated with apozygotic reproduction in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris l.)

Fruit set upon apozygotic reproduction was studied for four years in the msSOAN-5 pollen-sterile inbred sugar beet line. The progenies obtained from pollen-sterile plants by apozygotic reproduction had both fruits with normal seeds and parthenocarpic fruits without seeds, which was not an occasional event. Growth conditions proved to strongly affect the fruit set and seed quality. For instance, water deficiency during early plant development increased the proportion ofparthenocarpic seeds. Waiter deficiency combined with a lower temperature during flowering additionally caused a substantial decrease in the total number of fruits. Under the same growth conditions, related accessions did not differ in seed productivity, but varied in the proportion of normal (with seeds) and parthenocarpic (without seeds) fruits.     

Recurrent fruit harvesting reduces seedling density but increases the frequency of clonal reproduction in a tropical tree

Studies on the ecological impacts of non‐timber forest products (NTFP) harvest reveal that plants are often more resilient to fruit and seed harvest than to bark and root harvest. Several studies indicate that sustainable fruit harvesting limits can be set very high (>80% fruit harvesting intensity). For species with clonal and sexual reproduction, understanding how fruit harvest affects clonal reproduction can shed light on the genetic risks and sustainability of NTFP harvest. We studied 18 populations of a gallery forest tree, Pentadesma butyracea (Clusiaceae), to test the impact of fruits harvest, climate and habitat size (gallery forest width) on the frequency of sexual or clonal recruitment in Benin, West Africa. We sampled populations in two ecological regions (Sudanian and Sudano‐Guinean) and in each region, we selected sites with low, moderate and high fruit harvesting intensities. These populations were selected in gallery forests with varying width to sample the natural variation in P. butyracea habitat size. Heavily harvested populations produced significantly less seedlings but had the highest density and proportion of clonal offspring. Our study suggests that for plant species with dual reproductive strategy (via seeds and clonal), fruit harvesting and associated disturbances that come with it can lead to an increase in the proportion of clonal offspring. This raises the issue that excessive fruit harvest by increasing the proportion of clonal offspring to the detriment of seed originated offspring may lead to a reduction in genetic diversity with consequence on harvested species capability to withstand environmental stochasticity.     

Fruit production in Sorbus aucuparia L. (Rosaceae) and pre-dispersal seed predation by the apple fruit moth (Argyresthia conjugella Zell.)

Variation in fruit production and pre-dispersal seed predation by Argyresthia conjugella was studied in␣four populations of Sorbus aucuparia in northern Sweden.␣The number of infructescences, fruits per infructescence, consumed seeds and developed unattacked seeds per fruit were scored in marked trees from 1984 to 1990. The results showed that the number of fruits produced in each population determined the number of seed predators occurring in the host population, as the yearly number of seed predators was significantly and positively correlated with yearly number of fruits, in all but one population. The seed predators showed a delay in response to variation in number of fruits produced. This lag in response resulted in a large proportion of fruits being attacked and seeds consumed in a bad fruiting year that followed a good fruiting year, and vice versa. The proportion of fruits attacked and seeds consumed was largest in the population showing the greatest between-year variation in fruit production and lowest in the population showing the lowest between-year variation in fruit production. Furthermore, the individuals within the former population were synchronised, while they were not in the latter population. These results contradict one of the possible explanations of mast-seeding, where large synchronised between-year variation is supposed to reduce pre-dispersal seed predation. Instead, differences in attraction of the seed predator to differences in fruit crop size could explain the observed difference in seed predation between the two populations with opposite fruiting patterns. Within each population, irrespective of year, the proportion of fruits attacked and seeds consumed was independent of a tree's fruiting display. Therefore, trees with high fruit production, despite harbouring the largest number of seed predators, produced the largest number of developed seeds in absolute numbers, compared to trees that produced few fruits. Received: 25 February 1996 / Accepted: 30 November 1996     

Non-destructive assessment of flesh firmness and dietary antioxidants of greenhouse-grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) at different fruit maturity stages

Non-destructive methods have been widely recognized for evaluating fruit quality traits of many horticultural crops and food processing industry. Destructive (analytical) test, and non-destructive evaluation of the quality traits were investigated and compared for ‘Red Rose’ tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit grown under protected environment. Fresh tomato fruit at five distinctive maturity stages namely; breaker (BK), turning (TG), pink (PK), light-red (LR), and red (RD) were labeled and scanned using the handheld near infra-red (NIR) enhanced spectrometer at a wavelength range of 285–1200 nm. The labeled tomato samples were then measured analytically for flesh firmness, lycopene, β-carotene, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoids content (TFC). The results revealed that quality traits could be estimated using NIR spectroscopy with a relatively high coefficient of determination (R²): 0.834 for total phenolic content, 0.864 for lycopene, 0.790 for total flavonoid content, 0.708 for β-carotene; and 0.679 for flesh firmness. The accumulation of Lyco and β-Car rapidly increased in tomatoes harvested between the TG and the LR maturity stages. Harvesting tomatoes at BK maturity stage resulted in significantly higher flesh firmness than harvesting at the later maturity stages. Tomato fruits had the lowest TPC and TFC contents at the earliest maturity stage (BK), while they had intermediate TPC and TFC levels at LR and RD maturity stages. NIR spectroscopic measurements of fruit firmness and lipophilic antioxidants in tomato fruit at various maturity stages were partially in accordance with those estimated by destructive (analytical) methods. Based on these findings, we recommend using non-destructive NIR spectroscopy as an effective tool for predicting tomato fruit quality during harvest stage and postharvest processing.     

Fruit maturation patterns of Carya spp. (Juglandaceae): an intra-crown analysis of growth and reproduction

Summary Fruit survival patterns, from fertilization to maturation, were examined for Carya ovata and C. tomentosa in a New Jersey USA forest. We observed fruiting and shoot growth characteristics over a 3-yr period to determine: (1) the patterns of fruit survivorship (from initiation to maturity) within and among years, (2) the relationships between shoot growth, fruit initiation, and fruit survival to maturity, and (3) the influence of phytophagous insects on fruit survival. We found that within years, smaller infructescences (1–2 fruits) exhibited greater relative survivorship than larger ones (3–4 fruits); however, absolute nut production was greatest for mid-sized infructescences (2–3 fruits). Among years, fruit survivorship varied considerably within populations. Across the 3-yr period we observed average fruit survivorship to be convex, linear, and concave, respectively. Likewise, shoot characteristics (length, width, number of leaves) varied concomitantly (decreasing fruit survivorship was accompanied by decreasing shoot length and number of leaves). Within years, we found no strong relationship between shoot characteristics and infructescence size and survival. The patterns of tree-to-tree variation suggested a strong genetic basis to shoot growth and fruit maturation. However, patterns of variation within and among years also indicated a strong environmental influence on these traits as well. Natural phytophagy by insects was observed to be low (<5%); however, shoot defoliations of 10–25% were not uncommon. Experimental defoliations (ambient, 10–15%, 20–40%, and 75–100%) did not result in reduced survival to maturity. Collectively, the data suggest that year-to-year variability in shoot growth has a greater influence on fruit maturation patterns than within year fruit-shoot relations.     

Role of pollination in yield and physicochemical properties of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Very little is known about pollination and its effects on the yield and physicochemical properties of flowering plants in tropical countries. Wind and insect pollinators are among our natural resources because pollination is the most important ecosystem service performed by wind and insects, and is vital to the socio-economic status of human beings. In this experiment, different pollination methods for tomato plants were examined. Self-pollination was encouraged by covering the plants with a plastic sheet. Wind and insects were excluded from these plants, and thus only self-pollination was possible. The experiment occurred during the flowering stage. Wind-pollinated plants were covered with a muslin cloth, which excluded insects, and only wind could pass through the cloth. For insect pollination, plants remained uncovered, allowing free access to insects to pollinate the flowers. At fruit maturity, when fruits were completely red, fruits from each treatment were harvested on the same date and under the same conditions. Results illustrated the substantial importance of insects as pollinators of tomato crops. Open field had greater tomato yield and positive effects on physicochemical properties on fruit than under self and wind pollination.