In vitro pollen germination and pollination effectiveness of Bombus terrestris L. for eggplants [Solanum melongena] in forcing culture
2010
Hashimoto, I., Kochi-ken. Agricultural Research Center, Nankoku (Japan) | Maeda, K.
1. The germination percentage of eggplant pollen incubated on agar under five temperature conditions was examined. No germination occurred at constant 10degC or constant 12degC conditions, while germination at a constant 15degC was about 20%. Germination percentages at a constant 25degC and when the temperature ranged between 10 and 26degC (which reproduced the actual greenhouse temperatures used in forcing culture of eggplants) were 67% and 56%, respectively. 2. The pollen germination percentage on agar 3-6 h after inoculation was higher under the 10degC/26degC treatment than at a constant 25degC. At 9 to 24 h after inoculation, germination in the two treatments showed a similar transition in the range of 18 to 25%. 3. Eggplants cultured from October until June were pollinated by individuals of a Bombus terrestris L. colony during forcing culture in the greenhouse under minimum 10degC/maximum 27degC conditions. The harvested fruit rate exceeded 80%. Number of days required for yield, marketable fruits percentage and marketable fruit yield were nearly equivalent to those achieved after fruit set induced by treatment with plant hormones. These results suggest that B. terrestris is an effective pollinator of eggplant cv. 'Ryoma' in forcing culture.
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