SEASONAL EFFECTS ON FLORAL BIOLOGY AND FRUIT SET OF MANGOES IN A WARM TEMPERATE REGION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ABSTRACTThe floral biology, breeding system and pollination of Caryocar brasiliense were studied in the cerrado vegetation of Central Brazil. The large, yellowish-cream, brush-like flowers are pollinated mainly by glossophagine bats (Glossophaga soricina and Anoura geoffroyi). Three non-glossophagine bats (Phyllostomus discolor, Vampyrops lineatus and Carollia perspicillata) and two short probosisced hawk moths (Erinyis ello and Pseudosphinx tetrio) may also act as occasional pollinators. Caryocar brasiliense is self-compatible although it sets significantly more fruits when crossed than when selfed. The natural fruit set (fruit/flower ratio) and seed set (seed/ovule ratio) are 3.1% and 1.0% respectively. Most of the fruits and seeds are formed through the action of the flower visitors, despite the fact that about 20% of the non-visited flowers receive self pollen on at least one stigma.

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Pollination requirements of seeded and seedless mini watermelon varieties cultivated under protected environment

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0100-204x2015000100005 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 44-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Isac Gabriel Abrahão Bomfim ◽

Antônio Diego de Melo Bezerra ◽

Alexandre Campos Nunes ◽

Breno Magalhães Freitas ◽

Fernando Antonio Souza de Aragão

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Floral Biology ◽

Cross Pollination ◽

Diploid Pollen

The objective of this work was to evaluate the floral biology and pollination requirements of seeded and seedless mini watermelon varieties, and to determine the best varieties to cultivate under protected environment. Three seedless (HA-5106, HA-5158, and HA-5161) and two seeded (Minipol and Polimore) genotypes were tested. Flowers were monitored from the pre-anthesis stage to senescence, and fruit quality was also evaluated. The evaluated treatments were hand-geitonogamous pollination (MG), cross-pollination with pollen from the Polimore variety (MCP), cross-pollination with pollen from the Minipol variety (MCM), and restricted pollination. All varieties had monoecious plants with diclinous flowers, and the stigmas remained receptive throughout anthesis. Fruit set rates of 84.62% (MG), 61.54% (MCP), 48% (MCM), and 0% (restricted) were obtained for seeded varieties, but of 0% (MG), 76.36% (MCP), 82.69% (MCM), and 0% (restricted) for seedless varieties. Fruits did not differ in quality among treatments within each genotype. Therefore, all the studied varieties require a pollination agent and diploid pollen for fruit set to occur, regardless of the donor variety; and Minipol or Polimore with HA-5106 or HA-5158 are the varieties recommended for cultivation in protected environment.

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Pollination biology of Geissomeria pubescens Nees (Acanthaceae) in a forest remnant in central Brazil

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2013-0211 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 92 (3) ◽

pp. 215-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Raphael Matias ◽

Hélder Consolaro

Keyword(s):

Fruit Set ◽

Floral Biology ◽

Pollination Biology ◽

Energy Availability ◽

Open Pollination ◽

Forest Fragment ◽

Central Brazil ◽

Forest Remnant ◽

Fruit Formation ◽

Nectar Availability

Specialized plants like those in genus Geissomeria Lindl. (Acanthaceae) seem to depend directly on pollination by hummingbirds for reproduction. The goal of this study was to investigate the pollination biology of Geissomeria pubescens Nees (Acanthaceae) in a forest fragment in the municipality of Catalão, state of Goiás, Brazil, including aspects of morphology, floral biology, energy availability from nectar, and reproductive system. Geissomeria pubescens has pendulous red flowers, tubular corolla, diurnal anthesis, and no odor. These floral traits characterize G. pubescens as an ornithophilous species. The total amount of energy available from nectar was 8.60 ± 2.87 cal·flower–1, and each individual produced up to 22.53 cal·day–1. Based on the resources offered by G. pubescens, the fragment studied may support up to 94.6 hummingbirds during the peak of nectar availability. Hummingbirds were the only flower visitors, and Thalurania furcata (Gmelin, 1788) was the main pollinator. Flowers from manual cross- and self-pollination treatments produced fruits, but fruit set was low compared with open pollination. These results, along with the lack of fruit set from agamospermy and spontaneous selfing, demonstrate the importance of hummingbirds for pollen flow and, consequently, for fruit formation in G. pubescens.

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Floral biology of large-flowered Thelymitra species (Orchidaceae) and their hybrids in Western Australia.

Telopea ◽

10.7751/telopea2013020 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 165-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

R Edens-Meier ◽

E Westhus ◽

P Bernhardt

Keyword(s):

Western Australia ◽

Floral Biology

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Breeding biology and distyly in Palicourea rigida H. B. & K. (Rubiaceae) in the Cerrados of Central Brazil

Acta Botanica Brasilica ◽

10.1590/s0102-33062010000300012 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 686-696 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Adriana de Oliveira Machado ◽

Ana Palmira Silva ◽

Helder Consolaro ◽

Mariluza A. Granja e Barros ◽

Paulo Eugênio Oliveira

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Floral Biology ◽

Nectar Production ◽

Central Brazil ◽

Palicourea Rigida ◽

Floral Visitors ◽

Compatible Pollen ◽

Incompatibility Reactions

Distyly is a floral polymorphism more common among the Rubiaceae than in any other angiosperm group. Palicourea rigida is a typically distylous species of the Rubiaceae widely distributed in the Brazilian Cerrados. This work aimed to study the floral biology and breeding system of P. rigida in order to verify if there wasasymmetry between floral morphs. The work was carried out at Fazenda Água Limpa, Brasília-DF, from 1993 to 1995; and at Serra Caldas Novas State Park-Goias and in Clube Caça e Pesca Itororó de Uberlândia-Minas Gerais in 2005 and 2006. Density, height and pin/thrum ratio were assessed for flowering individuals in all areas. Plants were investigated for differences in floral morphology, nectar production, reproductive success and site of self incompatibility reactions. Blooming period was long and concentrated during the rains. Flowers were clearly distylous and with reciprocal herkogamy. They produced nectar and lasted for a single day. In spite of differences in density and height, populations were mostly isoplethic. Nectar production varied in volume and concentration but the differences could not be associated with floral morphs. The species is self-incompatible but reproductive success was always high and independent of floral morphs. There were differences in the site of incompatibility barriers between floral morphs, which were similar to those observed for other Rubiaceae. The main floral visitors and pollinators were the hummingbirds Colibri serrirostris and Eupetomena macroura. High fruit-set indicates that the pollinators transported enough compatible pollen grains between floral morphs, despite their territorial behavior.

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