Influence of different fruit loads on the starch accumulation in the pistils of Chinese Chestnut cv. ‘Zaodali’

Authors

  • Z. Shi
  • R. He

Abstract

The experimental samples were collected from Chinese chestnut trees (Castanea mollissima Blume) of two different fruit loads, i.e., “high fruit load” and “low fruit load”. No starch accumulation in the needle-shaped stigmas of all female flowers was observed while rapid starch accumulation took place in the transmitting tissues of the style just before the formation of complete ovules. In the cells of the ovary wall and the ovule, starch accumulation was obvious and reached the peak as the embryo sac was fully mature. Starch grains of ovule were mainly stored in the inner and outer integuments. Fruit loads of chestnut trees greatly affected level of starch accumulation in each part of the pistil. The starch accumulation in the ovary wall and the ovule of trees of “high fruit load” apparently surpassed that of trees of “low fruit load”. The starch content in the outer integument could be of 17.50% for trees of “high fruit load” compared to a low percentage of 2.92% for trees of “low fruit load” in same time.

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Published

2012-10-16