ISHS Acta Horticulturae 474: III International Symposium on Olive Growing
FLOWER DIFFERENTIATION, PISTIL DEVELOPMENT AND PISTIL ABORTION IN OLIVE (OLEA EUROPAEA L. 'MANZANILLO') |
| Authors: | J. Cuevas, K. Pinney, V.S. Polito |
| Keywords: | andromonoecy, flower development, SEM |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.474.59 |
| Abstract:
Andromonoecy in olive results from the failure to complete pistil development in a variable, but significant, portion of flowers. In order to more fully understand pistil abortion in the context of flower differentiation, we studied flower development in 'Manzanillo' cultivar by scanning electron microscopy. Although pistil abortion occurs throughout the period of flower differentiation, it is most common during the phase of rapid pistil growth. Aborted pistils appear collapsed, suggesting that cessation of pistil growth is followed by reabsorption of resources previously invested in the pistil. However, most pistil abortion occurs when the development of the other floral organs is very advanced, suggesting that little effect of such reallocation can be expected on other parts of the flower. | |
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