New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Pollination and fruit set in the tamarillo (Cyphomandra betacea
(Cav.) Sendt.) 2. Patterns of flowering and fruit set
D. H. LEWIS1
J. A. CONSIDINE2
Department of Botany
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92 019
Auckland, New Zealand
*Present address: Crop & Food Research, Private Bag 11 600,
Palmerston North, New Zealand.
email: lewisd@crop.cri.nz
*Present address: Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Western
Australia, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia, 6907, Australia.
Abstract Flowering and fruit set in the tamarillo
(Cyphomandra betacea (Cav.) Sendt `Oratia Round') were examined using
both field-grown and glasshouse-grown plants. Tamarillo plants in the field had
an extended flowering season from November until April, with individual
inflorescences having open flowers for up to a month. The length of the
flowering season is due to the growth habit of the plant and to the sequential
flowering pattern within an inflorescence. Twelve percent of the flowers formed
set fruit, but only 3% of all flowers developed into mature fruit. The major
factors influencing fruit set appear to be the first fruit set limiting further
fruit set within an inflorescence, and the resources available for
inflorescence development at successive positions along a branch. High flower
and fruit abscission appears to be a characteristic of the tamarillo. Excess
production of flowers may serve to offset fruit loss as a result of disease or
environmental conditions, and to provide a continual source of pollen to
attract pollinators and allow pollination of later developing flowers.
Keywords abscission; Cyphomandra betacea; flowering;
fruit set; resource limitation; tamarillo
H98029
Received 1 July 1998; accepted 26 January 1999
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (808K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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