Timing of premature acorn abortion in Quercus serrata Thunb. is related to mating pattern, fruit size, and internal fruit development

Abstract

Timing of acorn development and abortion is an important maternal strategy in oak sexual reproduction. To understand the significance of acorn abortion in Quercus serrata, artificial pollination of different mating patterns (outcross, self-, and nonpollination) was performed, and the timing of abortion and the size and internal development of acorns from each mating type were investigated. Acorns were aborted similarly in every pollination treatment until 80 days after pollination. Almost all self- and nonpollinated acorns were rapidly aborted during the period 80–120 days after pollination. During that period, differences in internal fruit development between outcross-pollinated and unsuitably pollinated (self- and nonpolinated) acorns were observed. In addition, cotyledon development and a rapid increase in fruit size were observed in the acorns gained by outcross pollination. The correspondence between the timing of abortion and the timing of rapid size growth and the development of storage organs suggests that this acorn-maintenance strategy may be the consequence of a maternal adaptation that allows better reproductive success under resource limitation.