scholarly journals CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE WATERMELON POLLENIZERS

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 872b-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Dittmar ◽  
Jonathan R. Schultheis ◽  
David W. Monks
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
The Other ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Seedless Watermelon ◽  
Early Production ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Triploid Watermelon ◽  
Female Flowers

Pollen from triploid (seedless) watermelon (Citrullus lanatas) is nonviable. Diploid (seeded) watermelons are required in seedless watermelon production for pollination and fruit set. In 2004, markets continued to increase for triploid watermelon but decrease for diploid watermelons. Seed companies are commercializing diploid cultivars (pollenizers) specifically designed as a pollen source for triploid watermelon production. The objectives of this research were to characterize the vegetative, floral, and fruit growth and development of these pollenizers. Five cultivars were evaluated: `Companion', `Mickylee', `Mini Pool', `SP-1', and `Jenny'. When measuring the longest vine, `Companion' produced the smallest plants reaching a maximum vine length of 183 cm, 31 days after transplant (DAT). `Mickylee', `Mini Pool', `SP-1', and `Jenny' had similar vine lengths reaching maximum lengths ranging 294–335 cm, 31 DAT. The compact growth of `Companion' is consistent with the shorter node length of 3.8 cm, while the other pollenizers had a node length of 9.9–10.9 cm. `SP-1' produced more male flowers than the other pollenizers beginning 24 DAT and produced 30–40 male flowers per plant per day, 31–55 days after transplant. `Mickylee', `Mini Pool', and `Jenny' produced 9–15 male flowers per plant per day, 24–55 days after transplant. Early production of male flowers by `Companion' was similar to `Mickylee', `Mini Pool' and `Jenny'; however, flower production became the lowest compared with all pollenizer cultivars 24 DAT. `SP-1' produced more female flowers resulting in the most fruit production (4 fruit per plant). In contrast, `Companion' produced the fewest female flowers and produced 2 fruit per vine. `Mickylee' had the largest fruit weighing 5.9 kg, and `SP-1' and `Jenny' produced the smallest fruit weighing 3.1 kg. The use of specific pollenizers may provide the opportunity to customize production for specific cultivars for either early and or late harvests.

scholarly journals YIELD AND QUALITY OF TRIPLOID WATERMELON HYBRIDS.

HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 859f-859
Author(s):  
Donald N. Maynard ◽  
Gary W. Elmstrom
Keyword(s):  
Total Yield ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
The Other ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Seedless Watermelon ◽  
Triploid Watermelon

Evaluations of 30 triploid (seedless) watermelon hybrids were conducted in the Spring 1989 season at Bradenton and Leesburg, Florida. There was considerable variation in relative cultivar yields at the two locations. However, consistency in some cultivars did occur. 'HMX 7924' produced the highest total yield and 'CFREC 88-2' had high total yields at both locations. On the other hand, 'ACX 882322', 'Fengshan No. 1', 'FMX 28', 'Fummy', 'Honeyheart', 'Nova', and 'NVH 4295' produced low total yields at both locations. Average fruit weight was high for 'Ssuper Sweet Brand 5244', 'CFREC 88-4', and 'HMX 7924' whereas 'ACX 882322', 'FMX 28', 'Fengshan No. 1', 'Nova', and 'PSR 49087' produced low average fruit weight. Soluble solids exceeded 11% in all entries at Bradenton whereas two entries were lower than 10% at Leesburg. Several experimental lines out performed the named cultivars suggesting that future introductions will be superior to those already available.

scholarly journals Bees biodiversity, forage behavior and fruit production in gherkin crop (Cucumis anguria L.)

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. e47421
Author(s):  
Darclet Teresinha Malerbo-Souza ◽  
Milena Oliveira de Andrade ◽  
Rodrigo Alves de Siqueira ◽  
Núbia Maria Guedes de Medeiros ◽  
Lucas Rodrigues de Farias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Native Bees ◽  
Africanized Honey Bees ◽  
Africanized Honey Bee ◽  
University Center ◽  
Number Of Visits ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
The University ◽  
Female Flowers

The objectives were to evaluate the biodiversity of bees, forage behavior and their effect on fruit production in the gherkin crop (Cucumis anguria L.) in the campus of the University Center Moura Lacerda in two years. The frequency and type of collection of the insects in the flowers was observed by counting from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the first 10 minutes of each time, for three distinct days in each year. The percentage of fruiting was quantified in 25 female flowers covered with nylon compared to the 25 female flowers uncovered in the two years. The flowers were visited by the Africanized honey bees Apis mellifera and the native bees Plebeia sp., Exomalopsis sp. and Melissodes sp., and the Africanized honey bees presented higher frequency and constancy with a higher number of visits in the male flowers compared to the female ones and these visits occurred between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Without the visitation of the bees there was no fruit production, and both the Africanized honey bee and the native ones when collecting nectar and pollen, visited both female and male flowers, carrying pollen in their body, being considered important pollinators of this culture.

Pengaruh Beberapa Konsentrasi Hyrasil Terhadap Pembungaan Tanaman Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

Agrotek ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Yanti Andriyani
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Cucumis Melo ◽  
Block Design ◽  
The Other ◽  
Experimental Station ◽  
Randomized Complete Block Design ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Cucumis Melo L ◽  
Female Flowers

<em>The objective of the experiment was to observe the best Hydrasil� concentration to the flowering of �melon� to increase the yield of melon </em>(<em>Cucumis melo</em> L.)<em> . The experiment was conducted at Jambi University experimental station, which is located in an altitude of ��35 m above the sea level.� The experimental� design was randomized complete block design with 4 replications and 6 treatment levels of Hydrasil concentration, ie. : H<sub>0 =� </sub>none� Hydrasil treatment, H<sub>1 =� </sub>100 ppm� Hydrasil, H<sub>2 =� </sub>200 ppm�� Hydrasil, H<sub>3 =� </sub>300 ppm� Hydrasil, H<sub>4 =� </sub>400 ppm� Hydrasil, H<sub>5 =� </sub>500 ppm� Hydrasil. The results� showed that Hydrasil concentration� significantly affected number of female �flowers and number of male� flowers per plant. �Hydrasil concentration at� 200 ppm�� gave �more� number of female �flowers �per plant and� less �number of male �flowers per plant than the other treatments.</em>

Organogénie florale des genres Culcasia et Cercestis (Araceae)

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 898-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Barabé ◽  
Charles Bertrand
Keyword(s):  
Flower Development ◽  
Floral Development ◽  
Intermediate Zone ◽  
The Other ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Unisexual Flowers ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Morphogenetic Gradient ◽  
Female Flowers

The floral development of Culcasia saxatilis, Culcasia tenuifolia, and Cercestis stigmaticus has been analyzed. These two genera possess unisexual flowers without perianth. In these species, the cylindrical inflorescence carry male flowers in the upper part and female flowers in the lower part. In C. tenuifolia, the separation between the female zone and the male zone is very sharp. There is no intermediate zone. In C. saxatilis and C. stigmaticus, we may observe rudimentary bisexual flowers between the two zones. In this intermediate zone, flowers located near the male zone possess male appendages more developped than those located near the female zone. On the other hand, the flowers located near the female zone possess female appendages more developped than those located near the male zone. The results suggest the existence of a morphogenetic gradient in the inflorescence of some species of Araceae. Keywords: morphogenesis, gradient, flower, development, inflorescence.

Pollination of northeastern North American Spiranthes (Orchidaceae)

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 1080-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Catling
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Cell Elongation ◽  
The Other ◽  
Lower Side ◽  
Terminal Portion ◽  
Stigmatic Surface ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Halictine Bees ◽  
Cross Fertilization ◽  
Female Flowers

Most northeastern North American Spiranthes are adapted to pollination by long-tongued bees (e.g., Bombus spp. and Megachilidae). The salient features of this adaptation are (i) a long, flat viscidium which attaches the pollinia readily to the flat rigid galea of the insect's proboscis, (ii) the nectar secreted into the base of the floral tube, (iii) the flowers are protandrous and sequential beginning at the base. In contrast, Spiranthes lucida apparently is pollinated largely by halictine bees. It differs from other northeastern taxa of Spiranthes in (i) having an oval viscidium which attaches the pollinia to the clypeus below the antennae, (ii) having the nectar available on the under side of the column behind the stigmatic surface, and (iii) in lacking protandry. In the characteristically Bombus-pollinated taxa, protandry is accomplished by a change in the position of the terminal portion of the column with respect to the lip, apparently due to cell elongation in both the column and the lip. The present investigation documents protandry in S. cernua var. cernua, S. lacera var. lacera, S. lacera var. gracilis, S. laciniata, S. magnicamporum, S. ochroleuca, S. romanzoffiana, S. tuberosa, and S. vernalis. Bees moving up the spike from the older female flowers to the younger male flowers act initially as pollen donors and later as pollen receivers; thus cross-fertilization is enhanced. Halictines occasionally act as pollinators of characteristically Bombus-pollinated taxa by visiting the flowers upside down so that the pollinia are inconspicuously attached to the lower side of the prementum. Data presently available for northeastern North American Spiranthes fail to establish pollinator specificity as significant in speciation except perhaps with respect to the separation of S. lucida from the other 14 northeastern taxa.

A leaky dimorphic sexual system and breeding system characterize a successful island colonist: the reproductive biology of Plocama pendula (Rubiaceae)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J Anderson ◽  
Julia Pérez De Paz ◽  
Mona Anderson ◽  
Gabriel Bernardello ◽  
David W Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Canary Islands ◽  
Breeding System ◽  
Reproductive System ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sexual System ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Female Flowers ◽  
New Habitats

Abstract Island plants provide special opportunities for the study of evolution and ecology. In field and greenhouse studies we characterized a model reproductive system for Plocama pendula, endemic to the Canary Islands. This species has a complicated and not immediately obvious reproductive system. Pollination is biotic, and all flowers are morphologically hermaphroditic, but half of the plants characteristically bear flowers with nectar, pistils with reflexed stigmatic lobes and pollen-less anthers (i.e. they are functionally female flowers). The other half bear nectar-less flowers with abundant pollen and full-sized pistils that mostly have un-reflexed stigmatic lobes (i.e. they are hermaphroditic flowers functioning mostly as males). However, experiments show these pollen-bearing flowers to be self-compatible. Thus, the functionally male flowers have a breeding system that allows selfing in limited circumstances, but the functionally male flowers produce far fewer fruits than do functionally female flowers. With morphologically gynodioecious, functionally largely dioecious flowers, sometimes capable of selfing, the reproductive system of this species could be labelled as ‘leaky’ in many respects. Thus, we propose that P. pendula has colonized new habitats and persists in substantial populations at least in part because it manifests a reproductive system that is a model for successfully balancing the often-conflicting evolutionary demands of colonization, establishment and persistence.

The game of numbers in homeotic flowers of Philodendron (Araceae)

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (10) ◽  
pp. 1459-1467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Barabé ◽  
Christian Lacroix ◽  
Bernard Jeune
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Relationship ◽  
Distal Portion ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sterile Male ◽  
Homeotic Transformation ◽  
Bisexual Flower ◽  
Position Information ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Female Flowers ◽  
Organ Replacement

In Philodendron, pistillate flowers are initiated on the proximal portion of the inflorescence and staminate flowers are initiated on the distal portion. Between the staminate and pistillate flowers, there is a transition zone consisting of sterile male flowers adjacent to the male zone and a row of atypical bisexual flowers between the sterile male zone and the female zone. The portion of the atypical bisexual flower facing the male zone forms stamens, and the portion facing the female zone develops into an incomplete gynoecium with few carpels. The atypical bisexual flowers of Philodendron are believed to be a case of homeosis where carpels are replaced by sterile stamens on the same whorl. In Philodendron melinonii Brongniart ex Regel, Philodendron pedatum (Hooker) Kunth, Philodendron squamiferum Poeppig., and Philodendron solimoesense A.C. Smith, there is a significant quantitative relationship between the number of carpels and the number of staminodes involved in the homeotic transformation in atypical bisexual flowers. On the other hand, such a significant correlation does not exist in Philodendron fragrantissimum (Hooker) Kunth and Philodendron insigne Schott, and Philodendron callosum K. Krause. There is a one to one organ replacement in homeotic flowers in both P. pedatum and P. squamiferum whereas, in P. solimoesense, an average of 2.56 staminodes replace one carpel. The average number of organs developing on an atypical bisexual flower and the number of organs involved in a homeotic transformation appear to be two independent phenomena. The number of carpels in female flowers is correlated with the maximum total number of appendages (carpels and staminodes) that can develop in atypical bisexual flowers.Key words: development, inflorescence, gradient, position, information.

scholarly journals Flowering and Fruit Set of Pumpkin Cultivars under Field Conditions

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1074-1077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Cady Stapleton ◽  
H. Chris Wien ◽  
Roger A. Morse
Keyword(s):  
Cucurbita Pepo ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Pistillate Flower ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Physiological Factors ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Female Flowers

Field experiments with six pumpkin cultivars (Cucurbita pepo L.) were conducted in Ithaca, N.Y., in 1992 and 1993 to characterize the patterns of flowering and fruit set. Plants of all cultivars produced the greatest number of female flowers and exhibited the highest rate of fruit set 35-45 days after transplanting, during the first 2 weeks of greatest flower production (“peak bloom”). During the 3 weeks of peak bloom, each plant produced an average of 3.4 pistillate flowers in 1992 and 5.4 in 1993, and fruit set was 50.9% in 1992 and 74.6% in 1993, yielding 1.7 and 4.0 fruit per plant, respectively. In 1994, flower production was further studied with the cultivar Wizard. Flowers were produced in a ratio of 33 staminate to 1 pistillate flower over the entire season. Climatic conditions appeared to be secondary to physiological factors in affecting flowering and fruit set during all three seasons. Characterization of fruit set patterns in pumpkin may aid producers in scheduling pollination services and predicting yields.

scholarly journals (214) Brassinosteroid-induced Femaleness in Cucumber and Relationship to Ethylene Production

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1057C-1057
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Papadopoulou ◽  
Rebecca Grumet
Keyword(s):  
Ethylene Production ◽  
Female Flower ◽  
Sex Expression ◽  
Predominant Role ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Total Female ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Female Flowers

The cucurbit family is noted for diversity in sex expression phenotypes. Typically, a phase of male flowers precedes the appearance of female or hermaphrodite flowers. Sex determination of individual flowers is regulated by genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors. Ethylene, auxins, and gibberellins all influence flower sex, with ethylene, which promotes femaleness, playing a predominant role. In this study, we tested whether brassinosteroids, a more recently identified class of plant hormones, also influence cucurbit sex expression. Applied epi-brassinolide (epi-BL) caused a significant decrease in time of appearance of the first female flower on monoecious cucumber plants, and increased total female flowers on the main stem. Increasing concentrations had a stronger effect. Of the three species tested, cucumber, melon, and zucchini, cucumber was the most responsive. Application of epi-BL also caused an increase in ethylene production by cucumber and zucchini seedlings, suggesting that the BR effect may be mediated by ethylene. To investigate the possible relationship between BR and ethylene on sex expression, we identified the concentration of ethephon (5 ppm) that caused an increase in ethylene production comparable to that induced by 10 μm epi-BL (about two-fold). Treatment with 5 ppm ethephon was sufficient to increase femaleness of cucumber plants, but not zucchini plants, suggesting that the difference in response to epi-BL may reflect differences in sensitivity to ethylene. Collectively, our results indicate that application of brassinosteroids to cucumber cause earlier and increased female flower production, and that the effects may be mediated, at least in part, by brassinosteroid-induced increased production of ethylene.

scholarly journals Increased Plant Density and Shade Affects Flowering and Fruiting of Pumpkin (C. pepo)

HortScience ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 526A-526
Author(s):  
R.O. Nyankanga ◽  
H.C. Wien
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Female Flower ◽  
Individual Plant ◽  
Complete Suppression ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Female Flowers

Increase in plant density often results in reduction in reproductive potential of individual plants in cucurbits. The reduction may be due to reduced female flower production or a reduction or a delay in fruit set or to decreased fruit size. To determine the cause of the reduction, flowering, and fruiting of two pumpkin cultivars was evaluated in four field experiments under four plant densities ranging from 4483 plants/ha to 23,910 plants/ha and in a greenhouse using three levels of shade. Weekly flower and flower bud counts were made in the field experiment starting at first anthesis. Flowers were determined to have either set or aborted or not have reached anthesis. Increasing plant population from 4483 plants/ha to 23,910 plants/ha resulted in an increase in number of flowers per unit area up to 11,955 plants/ha, beyond which there was a steep decline. Increased plant density also resulted in an increase in aborted female flower buds that did not reach anthesis. Increase in plant density only reduced fruit set at very high populations. Number of fruits per area increased linearly with plant density up to 11,955 plants/ha, but decreased at higher plant populations. Reducing incident light by 30%, 60%, and 80% in a greenhouse experiment resulted in reduction of both male and female flowers. At 80% shade, there was a complete suppression of female flowers, whereas male flowers were still being produced. The number of female flowers reaching anthesis was positively correlated with total shoot dry weight while floral buds and male flowers were not. Reduction of individual plant biomass under high-density plantings might therefore be limiting female flower production and yield.

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