Abstract
Successful pollination and fertilization are crucial processes for obtaining a high yield, especially for dioecious plants such as A. arguta. Determination of pollen tube growth on stigma and fruit development parameters, which were investigated in this study, can enable the evaluation of male–female compatibility—one of the factors of successful pollination. Pollen quality and grain size were analysed for two years on six male cultivars of A. arguta and one of A. chinensis var. deliciosa. Results showed high pollen quality, both with parameters above 80%. Pollen germination in vivo showed differences in pollen–stigma interactions. The highest positive interactions were observed for all female cultivar crosses with male ‘Nostino’ and ‘Rubi’ and the lowest one for A. chinensis var. deliciosa ‘Tomuri’. However, fruit set and average fruit weight were equally high in most of the combinations (fruit set above 75% for the majority of combinations). Some differences were noticed in the average seed number per fruit and weight. All tested male cultivars were able to fertilize tested female cultivars, but taking into account other characteristics such as pollen efficiency, some male cultivars seemed to be more proper for commercial orchards. Using A. chinensis var. deliciosa pollen seems to be unreasonable in tested conditions.
Highlights
Dioecy is not very common among fruit plants and applies to about 6% of all species [1]
Many authors have confirmed that air temperature during pollination may highly influence pollen tube growth and general fertilization, and fruit set and yield [21,22,24]
The temperature during flowering, pollination, fruit set and initial fruit grow was rather conducive to pollination, considering that the temperature presented in Figure 1 was average, while it fluctuated on pollination day between 8.6 and 26.7 ◦C in 2015, and between 8.1–19.7 ◦C in 2016
Summary
Dioecy is not very common among fruit plants and applies to about 6% of all species [1]. Sea-buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.), fig-tree (Ficus carica L.), or pistachio (Pistacia spp.) are examples of well-known dioecious fruit plants. Different theories have been presented in regards to possible ways for dioecy evolution and adaptation. Dioecy was seen as an evolutionary dead end. It is, possible that it could revert to hermaphroditism which accounts for its lower popularity in plant species [1]. The key problem in fruit production of dioecious species is that of proper pollination as it influences yield and fruit quality. The problem was thoroughly researched with respect to kiwifruit or fig [2,3]
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