Pollen and pollination experiments. X. The effect of repeated pollination on fruit-and seed set in crosses between the hybrid tea-rose CVS. Sonia and ilona

Abstract

To improve fruit-and seed set in roses, the Hybrid Tea-cultivar Sonia was pollinated with the cv. Ilona 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 times at 24 h intervals. Unpollinated flowers did not yield fruits. The number of achenes per fruit increased up to 3, fruit weight and weight of achenes increased up to 4, and the number of seeds per pollinated flower (PI) increased up to 5 pollinations. Both between and within pollination treatments, highly significant correlations occurred between fruit weight, number of achenes per fruit, and weight of achenes. Effects of repeated pollination in rose and apple are compared. The effect of a relatively low fertilization level in rose crosses is discussed.