Agronomy journal, Vol. 76 No. 4-5, 2014.
Original scientific paper
EVALUATION OF GROWTH AND POLLEN VIABILITY IN RELATION TO FRUIT SET AMONG FIVE VARIETIES OF TOMATO GROWN IN NIGERIA
David Adedayo Animasaun
; Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, P. M. B 1515, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Stephen Oyedeji
; Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, P. M. B 1515, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Faith Onyegwukwu
; Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, P. M. B 1515, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Musibau A. Azeez
; Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria
Abstract
The present study considered morphological traits, pollens viability and fruit set among five tomatovarieties(Roma, Tropimech, Tima, Tedino and UC-82-B) grown in Nigeria. The seeds were grown in the screen house facility at the Botanical garden, University of IlorinNigeria. Growth and fruiting morphological data were collected and analyzed while pollen viability in relation to fruit set was determined. The results showed significant vegetative growth variations and correlations between plant height and leaf characters. However, vegetative growth was notdirectly related to percentage offlower formation and fruit set, but pollen viability was directly proportional to fruit set in the tomato varieties studied. Reduction in pollen viability was accompanied by lower number of fruit set. Fruit number and size may be affected by biotic or abiotic factors, nonetheless, the percentage of viable pollens in Pollen Mother Cell was found to affect fruit set. Although pollen grains in the field may be subjected to multiple stresses simultaneously;viability of pollens in a controlled setup may differ to the pollen viability in the open field environment. However, pollen viability is directly associated with fruit set in tomato and could be screened as a vital trait for improved tomato in breeding programme.
Keywords
fruit set; germination percentage; pollen viability; crop improvement
Hrčak ID:
139618
URI
Publication date:
8.6.2015.
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