ISHS Acta Horticulturae 288: VI International Symposium on Pollination
THE POLLINATION OF LINSEED |
| Author: | Ingrid H. Williams |
| Abstract:
The phenology of anthesis, anther dehiscence, fertilization, and petal fall, and the response of the flowers to supplementary pollination in the linseed cultivar Antares, have been investigated. In the glasshouse, anthesis commenced 15–30 min after the onset of photophase and was complete within 2h. Anthers dehisced as buds opened; flowers produced c.4500 pollen grains in the glasshouse and c.3600 in the field. Flowers autopollinated well; most ovules were fertilized within 6h of the onset of photophase. Although supplementary pollination increased the proportion of flowers that produced seed capsules and the number of seeds per capsule, a compensatory decrease in flower production and seed weight resulted in no increase in seed yields. By 10 h after the onset of photophase, 97% of hand pollinated flowers had shed their petals but naturally self pollinated and shaken flowers retained theirs for longer. In the field, the crop flowered for c. 3 weeks. Buds opened at 06.00 – 07.00 h G.M.T. and petal fall was usually complete by 15.00 h. Honeybees and bumblebees visited the flowers for both nectar and pollen. Although pollination by bees resulted in earlier petal fall, it did not increase capsule or seed production. | |
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