Pollination and Fertilization

Pollination
Pollination refers to the transfer of the pollen from the anthers to the stigma of flower of same or different cultivar or
species.
Pollinator Agency involved in the transfer of pollens (anthers) is called pollinator. In most of the fruit crops,
pollinators are insects (entomphilous e.g. Almond, Annona, apple, ber, cherry, citrus, guava, litchi, peach, pear, plum).
The major insects involved are honeybee, house fly or bumble bee. However pollination through wind (anemophilous
e.g. aonla, cashewnut, chestnut, coconut, datepalm, jackfruit, papaya, sapota and pomegranate) and birds
(onnthophilous e.g. banana and pineapple) is also common. In some cases more than one pollinator may be involved.
Pollinizers Source of pollen is called pollinizer. In case of self incompatible cultivar or species pollens are taken from
other closely related compatible species. Pollinizers should produce abundant pollen grains. Time of bloom should
also coincide with commercial cultivars of the species to be pollinated.
Types of Pollination Pollination in which pollen are transferred from anther to stigma of the same flower is called self
pollination or autogamy. However when pollens are transferred to stigma of the other flower or cultivar or species is
called cross pollination or allogamy.
Table 2.2 Classification based on ty pe of pollination
Self pollination Cleistogamy Cross pollination
Grape (Vitis), papaya and sapota Unisexuality/diclinv
Homoqamv Monoecious
Apricot, citrus, dwarf coconut and peach Banana, jackfruit, pecan, tall coconut, hazelnut and walnut
Dioecious
Chinese gooseberry, date, grape (Muscadine) and papaya

Barriers of Self-Pollination Evolutionary mechanisms that favour cross-pollination and cause of unfruitfulness in
some fruits. There are various sexual behavious mechanism in fruit crops which have evolved over the period which
avoid the self pollination arid favour cross pollination. Some of these mechanisms are listed below.
1. Self incompatibility e.g., mango, almond, pineapple, ber, apple, apricot, cherry, loquat, pear and cocoa.
2. Dichogamy e.g., walnut, fig, banana, plum, pomegranate, chestnut, pistachionut, pecan, Annona and avocado
3. Heterostyly e.g., litchi, sapota, almond, carambola and pomegranate
4. Functional unisexuality e.g., reflexed stamen grape e.g. Hur, Banqui Abyad, and Angoor Kalan '
5. Self sterility: Self sterility is observed in peaches (J.H.Hale, June Elberta, and Halberta) and pears (Magness).
6. Self-incompatibility : It is the inability of the otherwise functional pollens to fertilize the stigma of the same
flower.
Table 2.3 Type of Self-incompatibility
Heteromorphic Homomorphic
No fruit crop SooroDhytJc GametophvtJc
Mango, aonla and Almond, pineapple, ber, apple,
cocoa apricot, cherry, loquat and pear
Dichogamy: It refers to the maturity of pollen and receptivity of stigma of the pistil at different periods. The various
types of dichogamy observed in fruit crops are given…….
Different type of dichogamy in fruit crops
Protoandry:- Walnut, coconut, Annona muricata, sapota and passion fruit
Protogynous:- Annona spp. Except A. muricata, fig, banana, plum and pomegranate
Hetero-dichogamy:- Pitaschionut
Protogynous Diurnally Synchronous Dichogamy:- (PDSD) e.g. avocado
Duo-dichogamy:- Chestnut
Heterostyly : It refers to the condition in which stigma Is at different height due to varying length of stylet e.g„
cashewnut Types of heterostyly in fruit crops are pin type (e.g., sapota and pomegranate) and thrum type (e.g., almond
and carambola).

PARTHENOCARPY :- Parthenocarpy is defined in two ways. Firstly, as formation of seedless fruits in the
absence of functional pollination or other stimulation was termed as parthenocarpy (Noll, 1962), and secondly as the
development of fruit without fertilization of the ovule or without true fertilization or sometimes even without the
stimulus from pollen
TYPES OF PARTHENOCARPY (A) Natural (genetic) parthenocarpy
Natural (genetic) parthenocarpy may be obligatory; resulting from genetic sterility and sometimes as a result of
continuous propagation. When genetic (natural) parthenocarpy arises without external stimulation, it is known as
vegetative or autonomic, e.g. banana, pineapple, Washington Naval orange, Oriental persimon and some varieties of
fig and pear. Stimulative parthenocarpy required an external stimulus such as pollination and fruits develop owing to
liberation of auxin by enzymes in pollen and pollen tube (e Black Corianth grape). In papaya when the flowers on pure
female trees are enclose cloth or paper bags, seedless fruits develop although these are smaller in size.
(B) Induced parthenocarpy
Induced parthenocarpy is the production of seedless fruits by treatment of the flov with materials such as dead
(mentor) pollen, pollen extract, chemicals or other grov substances. Auxin required for the development of fruit,
normally supplied by fertiliz ovules may also be occasionally raised above the threshold level required for fit.
development by high temperature, frost, insect attack, bark ringing and by mechanica irritation to stigma and style. For
examples :
(i) High temperature or exposure of flowers to 5°C for 18 hrs induces parthenocarpy in some varieties of pears.
(ii) A number of apple varieties produce small seedless fruits due to insect attack/****^
(iii) Parthenocarpic fruits have been developed in gooseberry, grapes and apple by baric ringing- "fj&ji
(iv) •?6£utting of style from base before the pollen tube had reached the ovary induces seedlessness in several citrus
fruits.
(v) Seedless fruits are produced in certain varieties of European grapes by using Ampelopsis pollen.
(vi) Chemicals (a) application of GA induces parthenocarpy in apple, pear, peach, fig, apricot, almond, grape, etc., (b)
NAA and IBA when applied in lanolin paste induces parthenocarpic fruit development in strawberry, and (c) cytokinin
application induces parthenocarpic fruit development in grape. Best time of application of these chemicals is before
the complete opening of the flower. Some examples of induction of seedlessness or partheSfecarpy in fruit crops are
"presented in Table 1.
PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHANGES IN INDUCED PARTHENOCARPIC Fri
(1) Size
(A) In mango, ripe seedless fruits were smaller than seeded fruits but were of go quality and matured earlier than
seeded fruits (Ponce et «/., 1986).
(B) Seedless grapes are much smaller than the seeded grapes of the same variety^ the size of berries containing aborted
seeds is intermediate.
(2) Form : Seedless apple induced by gibberellin were usually more elongated than! normal seeded fruits.
(3) Composition and quality : In most grape vars. seedless fruits are much sweeter as
compared to seeded berries of the same variety.
(4) Season of maturity : Extended in case of parthenocarpic frmtsf«| GROWTH OF SEEDLESS FRUITS
Auxins produced by the ovules trigger the mechanism of fruit development. The otM sources of auxin which are
involved in the development of seedless fruits: (i) maternal tissues like placenta in absence of seed function or site of
syntheSM auxin, (ii) ovaries of seedless fruits of Valencia orange and Eureka lemon contain more auxin than the
ovaries of the seeded varieties, (Hi) seed-like structure is formed in certH fruits like cucumber produces the auxin., (iv)
in certain fruits which are seedless do have large number of ovules per fruit and size of ovules is also bigger, hence it
is presumed; that these ovules are the site of auxin synthesis e.g. banana and pineapple and (v) nucellus tissues in
seedless fruits. Nucellus tissues are bigger in size and also serves the functions as a auxin supplement.
ADVANTAGES OF PARTHENOCARPY
(1) It can overcome certain limitations of fruit set due to failure of pollination mechanism.
(2) Parthenocarpic fruits mature earlier and hence give early crop.
(3) It is very useful particularly in glasshouse cucumber to produce cylindrical fruitsssfl
DISADVANTAGES OF PARTHENOCARPY
1. It is not advisable wherein seed is an economic yield.
2. Premature softening of the parthenocarpic fruits takes place e.g. Tomato. 3 Fruits are smaller in size,
4. Occurrence of fragile carpel and this is susceptible to diseases.