Volume 30 Number 3 Article 5 Pages: 82-84
Year 1976 Month 7
Title: Relation of Seed Number to Fruit Set in Apple - an Alternate Hypothesis
Author: S.A. Weinbaum adn R.K. Simmons
Citation
Abstract:
Despite positive correlations between
the set potential of apple fruit
and the number of viable seeds per
ovary (7), the nature of this relationship
remains obscure.
Popular
hypotheses include direct effects of
hormones emanating from seeds or
their influence on the directed movement
of metabolites.
Current interpretations
suggest that fertilization initiates
metabolic gradients (3, 4), and
subsequently seeds are not essential
for ovary development (12).
Post-bloom abscission of apple flowers
and immature fruit does not indicate
definitely that factors predisposing
these organs to premature abscission
did not exist prior to anthesis.
Our objective was to determine
whether the reduced seed number in
fruit disposed to premature abscission
could be a result of differential blossom
quality which preceded anthesis.
Twelve mature 'Golden Delicious'
trees on 'Clark Dwarf' interstocks and
'Virginia Crab' rootstocks were chosen
on the bases of profuse blooming and
uniform size.
Four hundred and
eighty flower clusters (40 per tree)
were partiallv deflorated (i.e., 4 of 5
flowers per cluster removed) 15 days
prior to anthesis to eliminate fruit
competition within the inflorescence;
the remaining flower on these clusters
occurred laterally on the peduncle
and was subtended by a leaf (14). An
equal number of clusters was undeflorated
to maximize competition within
the inflorescence: however, subsequent
sampling of these clusters was
restricted to a~ical fruit and lateral
fruit in leaf axils.
Diploid pollen ('Jonathan' and 'Delicious')
was collected, pretested for
germinability (13) and transferred to
receptive stigmas with a camel hair
brush when blossoms were in the balloon
stage (2). Twenty-one days
after hand pollination (ie., prior to
June drop) the selected fruit on half
the clusters were harvested and the
viable seed counted.
Abscission patterns
of comparable fruit on the remaining
clusters were monitored 59
days after pollination.
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