ISHS Acta Horticulturae 591: III International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds
CYTOHISTOLOGICAL STUDY OF VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE MERISTEMS OF MALE AND FEMALE PISTACHIO TREES (PISTACIA VERA, CV. OHADI') |
| Author: | B.SH. Behboodi |
| Keywords: | meristems, vegetative, reproductive, development, cytohistology, Pistacia vera |
| Abstract:
The apical meristems of pistachio have been studied with classic cytohistological methods. Shoot apical and floral meristem samples were collected monthly, immediately fixed and stained with cytological and cytochemical staining. This study revealed that meristematic activity and leaf initiation begins in March and its activity continues until May when buds become dormant until the following spring. The vegetative meristem is flat, big, and pyroninophilic with a single tunica layer and a flat corpus. The initiating ring has high pyroninophilic cells with a large nucleus that divides in all directions. Transversal and longitudinal sections showed that leaves rise one by one in a spiral pattern and make two leaf helices. In mid April, a group of meristematic cells begins to divide and produce floral meristems at the axis of some leaves. These reproductive meristems then divide and produce floral meristems within floral buds. Reproductive meristems have 3-4 tunica layers and a voluminous corpus. The corpus has high activity and the whole meristem is very bulgy. In mid August each male flower meristem produces stamen primordia and then inactivates until March. Female floral meristems only produce sepal primordia and the production of floral organs occurs in March. Thus anthesis and floral organ formation are separated in time. | |
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