Floral morphology affects seed productivity through pollination efficiency in radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

Abstract

To examine the effect of stigma position and size on seed productivity through pollination efficiency in radish, the numbers of self and cross pollen grains on the stigmas and the seed productivity under insect-pollination were compared among four bred lines. Lines with a small stigma or a high stigma relative to the anthers on long stamens tended to receive fewer self and total (self + cross) pollen grains but showed a higher cross-pollination percentage (ratio of cross pollen grains to total pollen grains on stigmas) than those with a large stigma or a lower stigma. Additionally, a higher cross-pollination percentage was associated with a higher outcrossing percentage. This result suggests that variations in the two stigma traits affect the outcrossing percentage via the cross-pollination percentage. Therefore, it should be possible to prevent loss of F1 purity by selecting new parental lines with floral morphology that favors cross-pollination percentage.