scholarly journals Fitness constraints on flower number, seed number and seed size in the dimorphic species Primula farinosa L. and Armeria maritima (Miller) Willd.

1994 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 563-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATHLEEN BAKER ◽  
A. J. RICHARDS ◽  
MICHELLE TREMAYNE
Keyword(s):  
Seed Size ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Flower Number ◽  
Armeria Maritima ◽  
Dimorphic Species

Dynamics of flower and pod production in annual medics (Medicago spp.). I. spaced plants

1990 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 911 ◽  
Author(s):  
PS Cocks
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Seed Size ◽  
Flowering Period ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Flower Number ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Ovule Abortion ◽  
Data Support ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Number Of Seeds

Two experiments were conducted in Syria to examine flower production in annual medics. Flowers and pods of seven species were monitored throughout the flowering period in Experiment 1 and the relationships among 13 flowering attributes were investigated for 16 species in Experiment 2. Between 34% (M. rigidula) and 8 1% (M. minima) of flowers survived to maturity in Experiment 1 and between 27% (M. blancheana) and 93% (M. radiata) survived in Experiment 2. Flower and pod production and flower survival in most species increased until about node 7 and decreased thereafter. Seed size was greatest in pods produced before nodes 2-7; the seed in late-produced pods was only 50% as heavy as early-produced seeds. Seed number per pod was almost constant, indicating that ovule abortion was rare. Cluster and regression analysis suggested that greater flower retention was associated with low number of seeds per plants, small seeds, and small pods, and the data support the hypothesis that flower survival is determined by the potential mass of pods (pod mass by flower number) at each raceme. The ecological and agronomic significance of flower shedding and seed size is discussed, and it is suggested that more attention should be paid to the characteristics of successful ecotypes in a given area, when selecting cultivars for that area.

An early transient water deficit reduces flower number and pod production but increases seed size in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 481 ◽  
Author(s):  
X.-W. Fang ◽  
N. C. Turner ◽  
F.-M. Li ◽  
K. H. M. Siddique
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Water Deficit ◽  
Cicer Arietinum ◽  
Seed Size ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Flower Number ◽  
Cicer Arietinum L ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Terminal Drought ◽  
Seed Growth

Terminal drought is known to decrease flower production, increase flower and pod abortion, and decrease yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), but the effects of early-season drought have not been evaluated. The influence of an early transient water deficit on flower and pod production and abortion, and seed yield and its components was evaluated in two chickpea cultivars, Rupali, a desi type, and Almaz, a kabuli type. Thirty-six-day-old plants were subjected to: (i) a transient water deficit by withholding water for 35 days, and then rewatered (WS), and (ii) kept well watered (WW) throughout. In the WS treatment the soil water content, leaf relative water content and leaf photosynthetic rate decreased after water was withheld and, following rewatering, recovered to the WW level. Despite the WS treatment being imposed at different phenological stages in the two cultivars, WS reduced flower number per plant by ~50% in Rupali and Almaz, respectively, compared with the WW plants. In WW plants, ~15% of flowers aborted in both cultivars, and 42 and 67% of the pods aborted in Rupali and Almaz, respectively, whereas in WS plants, 18 and 23% of flowers aborted and 27 and 67% of pods aborted in Rupali and Almaz, respectively. While seed growth in WS plants of Rupali and Almaz occurred primarily after the plants were rewatered, the duration of seed growth decreased by 17 and 36 days, the maximum rate of seed filling increased by 3 times and 5 times, and seed size increased by 26 and 16%, respectively, compared with the WW plants. Seed yield per plant in WS plants decreased by 31% in Rupali and 38% in Almaz compared with the WW controls. The early transient water deficit decreased flower production, but improved flower and pod development; increased the rate of seed growth and increased final seed size; and had a smaller effect on seed yield compared with chickpea subjected to terminal drought.

The effect of twig architecture and seed number on seed size variation in subtropical woody species

2009 ◽  
Vol 183 (4) ◽  
pp. 1212-1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Chen ◽  
Karl J. Niklas ◽  
Dongmei Yang ◽  
Shucun Sun
Keyword(s):  
Seed Size ◽  
Size Variation ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Seed Size Variation

Yield response of narrow-leafed lupin plants to variations in pod number

1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Palta ◽  
C. Ludwig
Keyword(s):  
Seed Size ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Subsequent Removal ◽  
Seed Filling ◽  
Specific Number ◽  
Pod Number ◽  
Number Of Seeds

The effect of pod number on the seed yield and components of seed yield was examined for narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) grown at a plant density of 36 plants/m2 in both the glasshouse and the field. Diflerent numbers of pods per plant in the glasshouse-grown lupin were generated by the application of N6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) to a specific number of flowers to ensure artificially that they set pods, and the subsequent removal of the remaining untreated flowers. Pod number ranged from 6 to 65 pods/plant in the glasshouse and was naturally distributed from 2 to 22 pods/plant in the field. Increases in seed yield per plant occurred as pod number per plant increased from 2 to 30 pods. No further increases in seed yield resulted when pod number per plant increased from 30 to 55 pods. Seed yield per plant was depressed as pod number increased from 55 to 65 pods. Seed size fell as pod number per plant increased over 20 pods and was less affected once the number of seeds per pod was reduced. The reduction in seed number per pod resulted from an increase in the number of seeds that aborted during seed filling. The data suggest that at a plant density of 36 plants/m2 there is potential for improving seed yield per plant by increasing the number of pods that reach maturity, provided it does not exceed 30 pods/plant. However, if consideration is given to producing large seeds, often preferred by buyers, the number of pods per plant should not exceed 20 pods.

scholarly journals Coupled influence of precipitation regimes and seedling emergence time on the reproductive strategy in Chloris virgata

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8476
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Jiawei Chen ◽  
Yige Huang ◽  
Zhongsheng Mu ◽  
Changfu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Seed Size ◽  
Reproductive Strategy ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Tiller Number ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Emergence Time ◽  
Precipitation Regime ◽  
Precipitation Regimes ◽  
Chloris Virgata ◽  
Low Precipitation

Precipitation regime and seedling emergence time both influence plant growth and reproduction. However, little attention has been given to the effects of these combined factors on the reproductive strategy of Chloris virgata, which is a vital species in Songnen grassland. Here, we simulated the changes in the precipitation regime and seedling emergence time to evaluate tiller traits and seed production. The results showed that tiller number behaved similarly among three precipitation regimes when sowed on 15 May (T1), while it increased significantly with precipitation regimes when sowed on 15 June (T2) and 15 July (T3). Tiller number decreased significantly with the seedling emergence time under the same water supply treatment. The proportional allocation of reproductive tiller number to total tiller number was significantly higher at T3 than at T1 and T2. Seed number remained similar under different precipitation regimes at T2 and T3, whereas it was significantly lower under low precipitation than under other water levels at T1. Seed number reached the maximum values at T2 under the same level of precipitation treatment. Seed size was significantly lower under low precipitation compared to other water supply treatments and the lowest values in seed size, about 0.5 mg, occurred at T2 under all the precipitation regimes. The lowest values in spike number were under low precipitation at all seedling emergence times. Seed yield exhibited similar trends with seed size under different precipitation regimes, while the greatest gains in these values were at T1 under all the precipitation regimes. Our findings showed that simulated precipitation regimes and seedling emergence time affected the reproductive strategy of C. virgata. Typical and high precipitation, as well as early seedling emergence, will improve the seed yield and seed quality in this species.

NaCl markedly improved the reproductive capacity of the euhalophyte Suaeda salsa

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianrong Guo ◽  
Yandi Li ◽  
Guoliang Han ◽  
Jie Song ◽  
Baoshan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Seed Quality ◽  
Pollen Viability ◽  
Ion Homeostasis ◽  
Reproductive Capacity ◽  
Suaeda Salsa ◽  
Leaf Axil ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Flower Number ◽  
Flower Abortion

The effect of NaCl on reproductive development was investigated in euhalophyte Suaeda salsa L. under controlled conditions. Results showed that NaCl promoted the reproductive growth of S. salsa and 200 mM NaCl was optimal. This was reflected in the increases of seed yield, seed number, flower number per plant and leaf axil, 1000 seed weight, as well as a decrease in flower abortion percentage with supply of NaCl. NaCl reduced the flower abortion percentage by increasing stigma receptivity instead of pollen viability. The Na+ and Cl– concentration in petals, stems and leaves were increased significantly but slightly in stamen and pistil. In contrast, the K+ concentration decreased markedly in leaves, stems and petals but a little in stamen and pistil. The Na+ and Cl– concentrations also increased significantly in seed from mother plants exposed to NaCl, whereas K+ decreased. However, seed quality was not influenced. Our results showed that high concentration of NaCl markedly increases the seed number and quality of S. salsa primarily via increasing flower number and fertility and S. salsa develops strategy to maintain ion homeostasis in reproductive organs for the generation. These factors play a pivotal role in setting up plant populations in saline environment.

Seed mass and nutrient content in nutrient-starved tropical rainforest in Venezuela

1997 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Grubb ◽  
David A. Coomes
Keyword(s):  
Seed Size ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Trees And Shrubs ◽  
Poor Soil

AbstractMean seed dry mass values were determined for 27 species of trees and shrubs in Amazonian caatinga (a forest-type especially short of nitrogen) and for 11 species in adjacent much taller forest on less poor soil. The tall trees (> 15 m) of caatinga have smaller seeds than the tall trees in adjacent forest on less infertile soil (both overall and in six taxonomically controlled comparisons), and than the tall trees in lowland rainforests elsewhere. The smaller seed size is interpreted in terms of a major advantage of keeping up seed number outweighing the marginal advantages of larger seed size. For trees of caatinga and adjacent forest considered together, there is a significantly greater concentration of P and Mg, and almost significantly greater concentration of N, in the embryo-cum-endosperm fraction of smaller-seeded species, but the content per seed of N, P and Mg is smaller in smaller seeds. The mean contribution of the seed coat (including endocarp for pyrenes) was 17% for dry mass, 3% for content of P, 10% for N and Mg, 15% for K, and 30% for Ca.

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