Onset and duration of stigma receptivity in Kunzea pomifera (Myrtaceae)

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Contents Vol 54(6)

doi:10.1071/BT05122

Onset and duration of stigma receptivity in Kunzea pomifera (Myrtaceae)

T. Page ^A ^C, G. M. Moore ^A, J. Will ^A, G. M. Halloran ^B

^A Burnley College, The University of Melbourne, Richmond, Vic. 3121, Australia.
^B Institute of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
^C Corresponding author. Present address: Agroforestry and Novel Crops Unit, School of Tropical Biology,
James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia. Email: tony.page@jcu.edu.au





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Australian Journal of Botany 54(6) 559–563 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/BT05122
Submitted: 11 July 2005 Accepted: 14 February 2006 Published online: 15 September 2006

Abstract

The onset and duration of stigma receptivity in K. pomifera was evaluated by observing stigma peroxidase activity, pollen-tube growth and seed set, following controlled pollination of flowers of different ages. Peroxidase activity was negligible from 1 day before to 4 days after anthesis, increasing to a peak of 65% at Day 13. The percentage of pistils bearing germinated pollen and ovaries exhibiting pollen-tube entry increased when pollen was applied to the stigma from the day before anthesis, to a maximum at Days 6 and 7 after anthesis, respectively, followed by a decline by Day 9. Under greenhouse conditions the optimum pollination period, measured as the level of set seed after pollination, ranged from 2 to 11 days after anthesis. The knowledge of this aspect of the species reproductive biology is of considerable value in controlled pollinations for its improvement as a new crop.