Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) Improve ‘Hass’ Avocado (Persea americana) Pollination

Pollination is limiting for avocado production. We examined whether adding bumblebees (BBs; ca. 10 hives/ha) to conventional honeybees (HB; 5 hives/ha) would improve ‘Hass’ avocado pollination and yields. A preliminary trial (2017/18) in an avocado orchard with four consecutive rows of ‘Hass’ followed by one row of ‘Ettinger’ serving as a pollenizer (20% ‘Ettinger’) showed a considerable increase in ‘Hass’ yield in rows adjacent to (up to 80 m from) the BB hives vs. distant rows (=controls). In 2018/19, the trials were extended to three additional orchards. A significant yield increase was obtained in the BB hive-adjacent trees compared to BB hive-distant ones. Similar results were obtained in 2019/20, in experiments conducted throughout the country. The SNP analysis, to determine the parents of ‘Hass’ fruit at varying distances from the BB hives, showed no differences in the cross-pollination rate (‘Hass’ × ‘Ettinger’). However, pollination rates and the number of germinating pollen grains per stigma decreased with distance from the hives, and correlated to the negative gradient in yield. Taken together, our data suggest that adding BB hives to ‘Hass’ avocado orchards, at ca. 10 hives/ha resulting in 0.5–1.0 BB visits/tree per min, increases pollination and, accordingly, total yield.

Impact of temperature and air moisture on pollen viability

The environments have a direct impact on formation and functioning of the generative organs in plants. Parameters characterizing viability of pollen grains are closely linked with weather conditions, especially temperature and air moisture. Very often a phase of a beginning of flowering of winter rapeseed (end of March – beginning of April) lasts in unfavourable conditions. In April 2020, we studied influence of the main weather factors (frosts, low moisture) on germination of pollen grains of the varieties Loris, Sarmat and hybrids 40059 × Jesper 16– 132 and 40008 × INRA of winter rapeseed bred in VNIIMK. Pollen viability was determined by B.A. Trankovsky’s method, accounting amount of germinating pollen grains on the artificial nutrient medium, calculating a percentage of germinating pollen grains to their total quantity. We determined optimal concentration of sucrose solution (20%) in a nutrient medium for germination of pollen of winter rapeseed varieties and hybrids. Due to our results, lowered air temperatures (from -0.5 to -1.9 оС) combined with air moisture from 39 to 86% in a period of beginning of crop flowering negatively influenced on germination of pollen grains. Viability of pollen of the varieties Loris and Sarmat was in average 47 and 37%, respectively. Pollen grains of the hybrids (F1 40059 × 52 Jesper 16-132 and F1 40008 × INRA) had less viability – 38 and 21%, respectively, this certifies higher susceptibility of tissues of the reproductive organs to low temperature and moisture.

Dasykothon leptomiscus gen. et sp. nov., a fossil flower of possible Lauralean affinity from Myanmar amber

A new fossil angiosperm, Dasykothon leptomiscus, is described from mid-Cretaceous amber deposits in the Hukawng Valley of northwestern Myanmar (Burma). The flower is post-anthesis except for one stamen that retains its pollen. The perianth is slightly irregular and composed of 5 ovate or lance-linear, erect or incurved sepals. The ca. 12 stamens have slender, elongate filaments and dorsifixed, bithecal, longitudinally dehiscent anthers. The superior ovary bears 2 long, curved styles. Germinating pollen grains observed on the stigmas are monoporate and have the peculiar feature of a grooved ridge encircling the grain from pole to pole. This structure is hypothesized to be an evolutionary elaboration of the meridionally syncolpate sulcus found in some members of the Atherospermataceae. The generalized floral morphology of the fossil prevents ready taxonomic assignment to a modern family.

Metabolomic Analysis of Pollen Grains with Different Germination Abilities from Two Clones of Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb) Hook)

Pollen grains produce certain metabolites, which can improve or inhibit germination and tube growth. Metabolomic analysis of germinating and growing Chinese fir pollen has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse metabolites changes, content and expression in the germinating pollen of Chinese fir. To understand the metabolic differences, two clones from Chinese fir were selected. Metabolomics analyses were performed on three stages (1-, 24- and 48-h) during in vitro pollen germination. The metabolites profiles at different time points were analyzed by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that 171 peaks were screened; the corresponding differential metabolites of 121 peaks were classified into nine types of substances. The expression of metabolites showed significant differences across and between clones, and the variation was evident at all germination stages. The expression was obvious at the early stage of germination, which differed clearly from that of the late stage after pollen tube growth. Moreover, the metabolites were mainly enriched in 14 metabolic pathways. Pollen germination and tube growth and metabolites expressions changed per incubation time. Since this work is preliminary, we suggest further investigations to understand the relationship between the differential metabolites and pollen development, and factors affecting pollen germination process.

Inside-out flowers ofLacandonia brasiliana(Triuridaceae) provide new insights into fundamental aspects of floral patterning

Background and Aims. A recently described Brazilian species,Lacandonia brasiliana, shares with its longer established putative sister species from Mexico,L. schismatica, inverted floral patterning (carpels surrounding stamens) that is almost unique among angiosperms. We present a detailed ontogenetic study ofL. brasilianafor comparison with other members of the tribe Triurideae (Triuridaceae) to explore the possible evolutionary origins of “inside-out” flowers.Methods. Wild-source populations ofL. brasilianawere compared morphologically and ontogenetically with related species of Triurideae, using light and scanning electron microscopy.Key Results. Relatively few morphological differences separate flowers ofL. brasilianaandL. schismatica. Both species have tepals with late-developing subapical appendages. In both species, the three central (almost sessile) anthers develop precociously with respect to the carpels; the anthers remain closed, and fertilization is achieved via pollen-tube growth from germinating pollen grains of the same cleistogamous flower. Carpels are initiated on fascicles.Conclusions. The close similarity between the twoLacandoniaspecies makes it unlikely that they arose independently from two separate homeotic transformation events; they could either represent sister species or two populations of a single disjunct species. Our study underlines the problematic generic and species boundaries within Triurideae. We present an evolutionary scenario of character evolution in Triuridaceae. The inside-outLacandoniaflower could have resulted from a stabilized homeotic transformation; this hypothesis is not in conflict with constrasting theories of the origin of the Triuridaceae flower, which coincided with a shift to unisexuality. The unisexual yet highly plastic flowers that are typical of Triuridaceae could have pre-adapted the origin of the extraordinaryLacandoniamorphology.

Tradescantia bracteata pollen in vitro: pollen tubes development and mitosis

About 90 per cent of <i>Tradescantia bracteata</i> pollen germinates <i>in vitro</i> after 15 min. Mitosis starts in the pollen tube after about 3 h. The mitotic trans-formations of chromosomes within the generative nucleus are not synchronized. They involve succesively the linearly arranged chromosomes in the elongated generative nucleus. In metaphase the chromosomes are arranged tandem-like linearly along the pollen tube. The chromatides translocate in anaphase from various distances to the poles in a plane parallel to the metaphase plate. This suggests that chromosomes have individual mitotic spindles and that coordination of the chromosome transformations in the generative cell is much less strict than in a typical somatic mitosis. Starch is the storage material of pollen grains. In the vegetative cytoplasm of mature pollen grains minute reddish-orange vesicular structures are visible after staining with neutral red. They do not fuse with the vacuoles proper arising in germinating pollen grains to form the vacuolar system of the pollen tube.