Pollen quality is important for growers and breeders. This study was carried out to determine in vitro pollen viability and pollen germination in seven genotypes of cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.). Two pollen viability tests, TTC (2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) and IKI (iodine potassium iodide), were used. Pollen traits of genotypes were studied using an in vitro medium containing 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% sucrose to determine the best sucrose concentrations for germination. In the second step, the germinated pollen was counted 1, 4, 6, 10, 12, 24, and 48 hours later until there was no further germination. The viability rates were different according to genotypes and tests used. The IKI and TTC staining tests and pollen germination had low correlation (r 2 = 0.0614 and r 2 = 0.0015, resp.). Painted pollen rate was higher and pollen was well-stained with IKI test and pollen viability estimated with TTC staining test was better than that estimated with the IKI staining test. 15% sucrose gave the best germination rates in most of the genotypes. Pollen germination rates were recorded periodically from one hour to 48 hours in 15% sucrose and the results showed that pollen germination rates increased after 6 hours of being placed in culture media.

Plant growth regulators have important roles in plant growth and development. The externally applicable chemicals belong to different action classes and each one has a crucial and effective role at different plant growing stages. Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most important and valuable medicinal and aromatic plant, belongs to Iridaceae family. Because of impossibility of generative propagation in nature, growing can be maintened asexually with daughter corms occured each year. In this experiment, the effects of exogenously applied paclobutrazol, indole-3-butyric acid, zeatin and picloram on saffron developmental stages were studied. Data were focused on aerial part and corm related characters which is important in developmental findings in this plant. In the treatments, paclobutrazol (10 or 20 mg L -1 ), indole-3-butyric acid (1 or 3 mg L -1 ), zeatin (1 or 3 mg L -1 ) and picloram (5 or 10 mg L -1 ) were applied alone besides control to saffron 45 days after planting to the soil under greenhouse condition. According to the data picloram concentrations have a retardant role in nodium activation, leaf number and corm developmental characters (number, weight, diameter and yield of daughter corm) but cause the highest plant height (60.98 cm in 10 mg L -1 and 57.37 cm in 5 mg L -1 ). In 10 mg L -1 paclobutrazol treatments resulted as the best corm production (469 kg da -1 ) than the other treatments and control. Zeatin at 3 mg L -1 concentration was found effective on the best nodium activation (2.81 active nodes/corm). In conclusion, saffron development is affected significantly by externally applied plant growth regulators under soil condition and the application methods can be progressed in studies on aimed parts of the plant. Keywords:Crocus sativus, indole-3-butyric acid, paclobutrazol, picloram, zeatin ÖZET: Dışsal uygulanabilen kimyasallar olan ve farklı etki sınıfları içinde bulunan bitki gelişim düzenleyicilerinin her biri bitki büyüme ve gelişiminin farklı aşamaları üzerinde hayati ve önemli işlevlere sahiptir. Tıbbi ve aromatik bitkiler içinde en önemli ve değerli bitkilerden biri olan safran (Crocus sativus L.) Iridaceae familyasına ait olup, doğal olarak generatif yolla üretilmesi mümkün olmadığından bitki gelişimi aseksüel olarak her yıl meydana gelen yavru kormlardan sağlanmaktadır. Bu araştırmada dışsal olarak uygulanan paclobutrazol, indole-3-butyric acid, zeatin and picloram maddelerinin safran gelişimi üzerine etkileri çalışılmıştır. Bitki gelişimi için önemli parametreler olan korm ve toprak üstü aksamı ile ilişkili karakterlerle ilgili veriler toplanmıştır. Çalışmada kontrol parsellerinin yanında paclobutrazol, indole-3-butyric acid, zeatin ve picloram bitki dikiminden 45 gün sonra cam serada toprağa uygulanmıştır. Elde edilen verilere göre picloram konsantrasyonları nodyum aktivasyonu, yaprak sayısı ve korm gelişim özellikleri (korm sayısı, ağırlığı, çapı ve yavru korm verimi) için geciktirici bir rol oynarken, en yüksek bitki boyu (10 mg L -1 de 60.98 cm ve 5 mg L -1 de ...

We investigated the fertilization biology of naturally grown cherry laurels and showed the effect of pollinizers on fruit quality. This is the first study on the pollination biology of cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.), conducted among three mothers and two pollenizer types employing in vivo open, self, and cross-pollination experiments. There was no difference in the pollen viability of different pollenizer types. The initial fruit set was monitored by counting fruits after 20, 40 and 60 days of the pollination (after flowers-small fruit drop, small fruit drop and June drop). The final fruit set was recorded in the second week of July at the beginning of the fruit ripening phenophase. The percentage of fruit set was calculated by comparing the number of developed fruits with pollinated flowers. In this study, the initial fruit set was very high but dropped severely in the next 40 days. The variations in the final fruit set were attributed to the pollen source effects. According to the results, genotype 16 was the best pollenizer for all mother genotypes. The fruit set increased with cross-pollination indicating that cherry laurel is selfincompatible. The pollen source significantly affected the fruit quality parameters.

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Laurel plant is one of the most known, naturally growing in forest and maquis areas, medicinal and aromatic plant in the world. The study was performed in determining the differences in each gender and auxin types on rooting capability of broad-leaved evergreen dioecious laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) plants. For this purpose, 8 female and 8 male plant types were selected from 5 locations. Two different auxins, IBA and NAA, were applied to semi-hardwood stem cuttings of the selected plants in each two doses (2000 ppm and 4000 ppm) versus control. Survival and rooting rates, shoot formation and adaptation in the acclimatization stage rate in addition root length and root number were evaluated. The data varied between 10-100% in females and 23-100% in males survival rate, 0-73% in females and 0-50% in males rooting rate, 2-28 roots/cutting in females and 1-8 roots/cutting in males root number, 1.33-7.33 cm/root in females and 0.83-6.00 cm/root in males root length, 0-86% in females and 0-100% in males shoot formation rate with 33-100% in females and 17-100% in males adaptation in the acclimatization stage in all auxin treatment and control. In all studies, average rooting percentage was 17.0% in female and 9.6% in male plants. According to the results of the great variation in the data, it can be emphasized that success of production of laurel saplings from rooted cuttings largely depends on initial plant types in addition to the auxin treatments. Most importantly, rooting capacity of laurel cuttings was found (overall mean 13.3%) very low.