Defoliation and its Effects on Pod and Seed Development in Oil Seed Rape (Brassica napus L.)

Both in vivo and in vitro techniques have been used to followthe development of individual pods on the terminal inflorescenceof undefoliated and defoliated plants of oil-seed rape (Brassicanapus cv. Maris Haplona). For any pod, a rapid increase in podlength occurred between 2 d and 8 d after flower opening andthis preceded by approximately 2 d the increase in pod width,the rate of which was less than that for length. An increasein the diameter of individual seeds coincided with the increasein pod width. Regional increases in the length and width ofpods were associated with the presence of developing seeds inthese regions. Key words: Brassica napus L., Development, In vivo, Pod and seed, Stress