Abstract
Flower heliotropism could increase reproductive success in Adonis ramosa by increasing pollination, fertilization success, and/or seed development. Mean gynoecium temperature of heliotropic flowers was 5.5°C warmer than the ambient. Under natural conditions, seed set was restricted by pollen limitation. Activity of pollinating insects was temperature-dependent and the visiting frequency was higher in heliotropic flowers than in non-heliotropic ones. As optimal temperature for pollen germination and pollen tube growth was higher than the ambient temperature, heliotropic warming might facilitate greater fertilization success after pollination. Experiments combining hand-pollination and petal removal showed that both seed set and individual seed weight decreased when heliotropic effects were removed. Thus, all three hypotheses were supported in this' study. Advantages of out-crossing through heliotropic movements was not clear in this study, because there was no significant difference in individual seed weight between selfed and out-crossed flowers
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.