The role of non-flying animals in the pollination of Banksia nutans

2003 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 503 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Wooller ◽  
S. J. Wooller

Banksia nutans is a common, 1 m high, bushy shrub that flowers over summer in the sandplain heathlands on the southern coast of Western Australia. It appears to be principally pollinated by the honey possum, Tarsipes rostratus. This tiny (7–10 g) marsupial is the most abundant and widespread mammal in one large heathland where 97% of honey possums trapped near B. nutans were found to carry its pollen. An experiment was conducted that regulated access to flowers by different groups of pollinators. Exclosures around bushes removed access to flowers by flying animals, but still allowed honey possums to visit the flowers. This treatment resulted in fruit set that was not significantly different from bushes to which all animals had access. Exclusion of animal visitors resulted in significantly lower (albeit substantial) fruit set. This indicates a capacity for self-pollination that may offset the apparent reliance of Banksia nutans on honey possums for pollination.

1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (109) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
DF Langridge ◽  
RD Goodman

The role of honeybees in the pollination of apricots cv. Trevatt was examined in a 2-year study. When trees were enclosed in cages, the percentage of flowers that set fruit, the weight of fruit harvested per tree and the number of fruit per tree were reduced by 43%, 32% and 50%, respectively. Honeybees comprised 97.6% of insects visiting the flowers, and since 84% of the bees counted were pollen gatherers visiting newly opened flowers, they were more significant pollinators than nectar collecting bees. Optimum conditions for opening and dehiscence of anthers were found to occur at temperatures of 20�C or higher and at 70% relative humidity or less. Parthenocarpy was not a significant factor in fruit set and while self-pollination and possibly some airborne pollen account for some fruit set, this cultivar does benefit from pollination by honeybees.


2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 627 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Wooller ◽  
R. D. Wooller

Differential exclusion of vertebrates and invertebrates from the inflorescences of Banksia media R.Br. on the south coast of Western Australia showed the species to be partially self-compatible. Access by invertebrates increased fruit set and additional access by vertebrates resulted in even greater fruit set. Honeyeater birds and marsupial nectarivores were abundant and widespread in the study area and most carried the pollen of Banksia media while it flowered. However, although B. media had the floral characteristics attributed to vertebrate pollination, self-pollination and pollination by insects clearly also play major roles in seed production. Banksia media regenerates solely from seed released after fire and we suggest that its mixed mating strategy is a compromise between inbreeding depression and risk of elimination from areas prone to occasional fires.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 887-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Godini ◽  
L. de Palma ◽  
M. Palasciano

A study to ascertain the highest possible fruit set following self-pollination of eight self-compatible cultivars of almond (Amygdalus communis L. = Prunus dulcis Mill) was carried out in Apulia (southern Italy). Fruits set from daily hand-selling were high, compared to those from unassisted self-pollination. The results support growing most of the self-compatible Apulian almonds in solid blocks, without need for cross-pollination, provided that self-pollination is optimized by insect vectors. The relative capability of the cultivars to set fruits by unassisted self-pollination was independent of the reciprocal stigma/anthers position within the same flower.


1999 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. J. INGLIS ◽  
S. C. GARROW ◽  
C. ADAMS ◽  
M. HENDERSON ◽  
M. MAYO ◽  
...  

A cluster of acute melioidosis cases occurred in a remote, coastal community in tropical Western Australia. Molecular typing of Burkholderia pseudomallei isolates from culture-confirmed cases and suspected environmental sources by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of XbaI chromosomal DNA digests showed that a single PFGE type was responsible for five cases of acute infection in a community of around 300 during a 5 week period. This temporal and geographical clustering of acute melioidosis cases provided a unique opportunity to investigate the environmental factors contributing to this disease. B. pseudomallei isolated from a domestic tap at the home of an asymptomatic seroconverter was indistinguishable by PFGE. Possible contributing environmental factors included an unusually acid communal water supply, unrecordable chlorine levels during the probable exposure period, a nearby earth tremor, and gusting winds during the installation of new water and electricity supplies. The possible role of the potable water supply as a source of B. pseudomallei was investigated further.


1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Szabó ◽  
J. Nyéki ◽  
M. Soltész ◽  
Z. Szabó ◽  
T. Tóth

Literature dealing with flowering and fertilisation of quince is scarce. Most controversial and scanty are informations on observations of self- and cross-pollination. According to our observations, differences in blooming time are few (2-3) days only, thus flowering of most varieties is synchronous. The varieties observed are grouped as early, intermediate and late flowering ones. Self fertility of the individual varieties, however, was not assessed unequivocally, therefore it is recommended, by safety reasons, to consider quince actually as a whole to be auto-incompatible. Artificial self-pollination (or rather geitonogamy) as well as cross pollination with other varieties increased substantially fruit set if compared with the results of natural self-pollination (autogamy). According to the fruit set of their open pollinated flowers, varieties have been classified according to fertility as low (below 10 %), medium (between 10 and 20 %) and high (more than 20 %). Cross fertility of varieties is highly variable depending on combination and on season. Contradictory data are probably due to the sensitivity of quince to conditions of search. Better fruit set was coincident with higher number of stout seeds per fruit. Well developed seeds are definitely a prerequisite of larger fruit size.  


Author(s):  
Agung Wahyu Susilo

Self compatibility cross in cocoa is a useful criterion in utilizing germplasm collection. Evaluation of self-compatibility crosses on cocoa clones has been carried out in Kaliwining Experimental Station of ICCRI by treating artificial self-pollination. The observed clones were TSH 858, ICS 60, ICS 13, UIT 1, KW 162, KW 165, KW 163, DR 1, DR 2, DRC 16, DRC 15, KKM 22, Na 32, Na 33 and DR 38. Self-compatibility crosses were identified by percentage of fruit set evaluated during 6 consecutive weeks after pollination. The results showed that the percentage of fruit set were significantly different among clones in the range of 0—46.34%. Three groups of compatibility of cocoa clones were identified i.e. first, self-incompatible clones of DR 1, Na 32, Na 33; second, partially self compatible clones of DR 38, TSH 858, ICS 60, ICS 13, UIT 1, KW 162, KW 165, KKM 22; and third, self-compatible clones of DR 2, DRC 16,DRC 15, KW 163. Clones which perform self-incompatible and partially self-compatible furthermore can be used as female parents in the production of hybrids. Key words: self-compatibility, Theobroma cacao, clones.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Zhukova ◽  
Shao-Yong Jiang ◽  
Andrey Korsakov ◽  
Aleksandr Stepanov ◽  
David Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

2010 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro J. Martínez-García ◽  
Encarnación Ortega ◽  
Federico Dicenta

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