Advances in understanding flowering and pollination in apple trees

Hirst, Peter M.

doi:10.19103/as.2016.0017.04

Cited by 10 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…Flower formation is related to biennial bearing and continues to be a major challenge for the apple industry and many other fruit tree industries worldwide. Biennial (or alternate) bearing is the ''fluctuation of cropping from year to year caused by irregular flowering'' (Hirst, 2017). Despite considerable research, the underlying mechanisms of biennial bearing remain largely unknown (Bangerth, 2006(Bangerth, , 2009Hoad, 1978;Jonkers, 1979;Monselise and Goldschmidt, 1982;Singh, 1948;Xing et al, 2015).…”

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The Role of Spur Leaves, Bourse Leaves, and Fruit on Local Flower Formation in Apple: An Approach to Understanding Biennial Bearing

Elsysy¹,

Hirst²

2017

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Lack of consistent flower formation is the underlying cause of biennial bearing. Flower formation in apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) has been associated with different factors, such as leaf area, shoot growth, bourse length, crop load, and seed number. However, it is unclear how these different factors interact to promote or inhibit flower formation. The effect of spur defoliation, fruit removal, and their interaction were evaluated on spur flower formation and bourse length in annual-bearing ‘Gala’ and the biennial-bearing ‘Honeycrisp’. Eight different combinations of spur defoliation and fruiting treatments were applied in three consecutive springs, 2013–15. Bourse shoot defoliation and fruiting treatments inhibited spur flower formation in both cultivars, but in different patterns from year to year. In addition, spur leaf defoliation did not affect flower formation in either cultivar. Furthermore, local defoliation and fruiting treatments did not affect bourse length. We propose that bourse leaves play a major role in both producing and transporting flower formation signals, but the effect depends on cultivar.

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The Role of Spur Leaves, Bourse Leaves, and Fruit on Local Flower Formation in Apple: An Approach to Understanding Biennial Bearing

Elsysy¹,

Hirst²

2017

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“…Apple fruit size is dependent on its cell number and size, characteristics regulated by cell division and expansion rates [1,2]. Although the average-sized fruit has approximately 50 million of cells, some grow larger by either increasing their cell numbers or enlarging their cells [3]. For commercially grown apples, fruit size is an important factor in determining the keeping quality of apples in storage [4].…”

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Cell division controls final fruit size in three apple (Malus x domestica) cultivars

Karim¹,

Allan²,

Schaffer³

et al. 2022

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Apple (Malus x domestica) fruit size is dependent on cell division and cell expansion, processes which are subsequently regulated by plant hormones such as auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins. In this study, we investigated the role of cell division and cell expansion in apple growth and identified which of the two was more deterministic to final fruit size. Three cultivars of different sizes were selected, namely, ‘Twenty Ounce’ (large-sized), ‘Royal Gala’ (medium-sized), and ‘Crabapple’ (small-sized). Gene expression and cell size analyses were conducted over the course of two consecutive seasons. The expression patterns of three classes of genes were markedly similar across all cultivars. Two cell division markers, namely, MdCDKB2;2 and MdANT2, were discovered to be correlatively expressed as both displayed initially high expression levels, which gradually declined from the early to late stages of growth time course. For cell expansion markers, MdEXP3 was upregulated as the cells expanded, while MdARF106 was expressed in both the cell division and expansion stages. Meanwhile, the ripening related gene MdACO1 was expectedly expressed only during the ending stages associated with ripening. Interestingly, the cell measurements taken regularly from each cultivar throughout the same eperimental timespan showed that cell sizes were unaltered and remained constant from initial pollination at the zeroth Days After Pollination (DAP), to ripening at 120 Days After Full Bloom (DAFB).

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“…The flowering phenology of plants can be quantified using indicators, such as the initial flowering period, the end of the flowering period, the number of flowers, and flowering synchrony. Flowering phenology, which is not only subject to genetic factors and intragenus evolutionary relationships but also closely associated with external environmental factors, has a large impact on the reproductive success rate of populations [5] and is an important plant characteristic. Floral displays are crucial to attracting pollinators [6].…”

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confidence: 99%

Flowering Biology of Rhododendron pulchrum

et al. 2021

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To study the flowering biology of Rhododendron pulchrum, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and paraffin sectioning to observe the microstructures of its floral organs, a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetric assay to detect pollen viability in different periods, continuous observations to study flowering phenology, and artificial pollination and a benzidine-hydrogen peroxide method to determine stigma receptivity. R. pulchrum exhibited a centralized flowering phenology. The protogynous stigmas of R. pulchrum were able to receive pollen before flowering. The pollen grains of R. pulchrum fused into tetrads, the average ratio of the polar axis length to the equatorial axis length (P/E) was 1.05, and the pollen viability was highest in the initial flowering period, reaching 88.98%. The pollen/ovule (P/O) ratio was 266–328, and the outcrossing index (OCI) was 4; the vitality of R. pulchrum pollen remained high in the initial flowering and blooming periods. Compared with the lifespan of a single flower, pollen vitality remained high for most of the experimental period, thereby improving male fitness. The P/O ratio suggests that R. pulchrum may have a facultative outcrossing breeding system. The OCI estimation suggests that R. pulchrum is partially self-compatible, most likely requiring pollinators to complete pollination.

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Advances in understanding flowering and pollination in apple trees

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

The Role of Spur Leaves, Bourse Leaves, and Fruit on Local Flower Formation in Apple: An Approach to Understanding Biennial Bearing

The Role of Spur Leaves, Bourse Leaves, and Fruit on Local Flower Formation in Apple: An Approach to Understanding Biennial Bearing

Cell division controls final fruit size in three apple (Malus x domestica) cultivars

Flowering Biology of Rhododendron pulchrum

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