New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Pollination and fruit set in the tamarillo (Cyphomandra betacea
(Cav.) Sendt.) 1. Floral biology
D. H. LEWIS1
J. A. CONSIDINE2
Department of Botany
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92 019
Auckland, New Zealand
1Present address: Crop & Food Research, Private Bag 11 600,
Palmerston North, New Zealand. email: lewisd@crop.cri.nz
2Present address: Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Western
Australia, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia 6907, Australia.
Abstract The floral biology of the tamarillo Cyphomandra
betacea (Cav.) Sendt. `Oratia Round' was examined using field-grown and
glasshouse-grown plants. The tamarillo exhibits a modular growth pattern,
initiating a number of leaves (usually 3-4) and then a terminal inflorescence.
Inflorescence structure is compound and may consist of up to 50 flowers.
Flowers open sequentially along each axis of the inflorescence. Individual
flowers close at night but reopen each day, for up to 5 days. The stigma is wet
and although exudate was present from 3 days before to 7 days after flower
opening (Day -3 to Day +7), the effective pollination period (by hand
pollination) was from Day -1 until Day +1 only. An insect vector is required
for pollination and both honey bees and bumble bees were observed to visit and
pollinate tamarillo flowers. The tamarillo is self-compatible although the
nature of pollen release onto the thorax and abdomen of bees visiting the
flowers could effect both self pollination and cross pollination. No
parthenocarpic fruit were set under any of the circumstances investigated
here.
Keywords tamarillo; Cyphomandra betacea; effective
pollination period; floral phenology; pollination vector; self-compatibility
H98029
Received 1 July 1998; accepted 26 January 1999
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (2485K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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