Studies on the efficiency of artificial pollination in fruit growing

Abstract

1. During a period of 1958-1960, a series of experiments was carried out with various kinds of chemicals such as plant growth regulators, vitamins, amino acids, organic acids and inorganic substances, in order to examine their stimulating effect on the pollen germination of pears, apples and persimmons on the artificial media. A similar experiment was also conducted on the stigmas of pears and apples grown in the field.2. Of these substances tested, tartaric acid, oxalic acid and glutamic acid (sodium salt) were the most effective in promoting the pollen germination. Particularly, in the artificial pollination, a high percentage of fruit set was obtained in either case, when the pollens of pears suspended in the sodium of glutamic acid solution were sprayed on the stigmas, or when the flowers of apples were treated with the sodium of glutamic acid solution soon after the blooming prior to the pollination.3. From the standpoint of practical application, it was very convenient for us that glutamic acid could be used in a wider range of concentrations giving no injury to plants, as compared with the other effective chemicals examined in these experiments.