Factors limiting fruit production in the understory shrub, Eurya japonica
2002
Higo, M. (Gifu Univ. (Japan))
From 1994 to 1995 we [AMl] studied the effects of the light environment and pollen availability on fruit set and fruit maturation in the gynodioecious evergreen shrub Eurya japonica in a forest in central Japan dominated by Pinus densiflora and Quercus serrata. In E. japonica the number of immature fruits decreased dramatically immediately after the flowering period, and thereafter decreased gradually. In both 1994 and 1995, rates of fruit set on hand-pollinated branches were higher than those on control branches. Fruit set rates in open habitats did not differ significantly from those in the forest understory. Fruit set rates on control branches differed between 1994 and 1995. There were more seeds per fruit on hand-pollinated branches than on control branches. The reproductive investment in terms of the number of flower buds or fruits matured per unit length of branch was higher on branches in open habitats than in the forest understory. These data suggest that in E, japonica grown under canopies, the number of flower buds may be controlled by light intensity, while fruit set and the number of seeds per fruit may be controlled by the amount of pollen.
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