The correlation between ovule quality parameters and the seed yield at <em>Cyclamen persicum</em> MILL.

Abstract

Are there indicators that the seed yield at Cyclamen persicum is predetermined by the quality of ovules? This was the main question of these investigations.
The aim of our study was to investigate why only some of the available ovules develop into mature seeds. We surmised that the quality of the ovules played an important role in this. In order to corroborate this theory, we examined specific ovule parameters and their correlation with seed yield.
The parameters included the levels of callose in the nucellus, the heterogeneity of embryo sacs, the deviants in callose inclusion and the number of ovules examined by light and fluorescence microscopy.
There is still considerable disagreement on the biological significance of the inclusion of callose in ovules. In our study, we were able to show that the inclusion of callose is essential for fertilization in the case of C. persicum. This appears to contradict the findings reported for other plant species, where the inclusion of callose has been evaluated as a sign of ovule degeneration. However, the results of our study clearly demonstrate that seed yield is already determined by the maternal plant during the ovule development phase, i. e. shortly before and at the beginning of anthesis.
Some ovule parameters allow predictions to be made about the expected seed yield for the studied genotypes of C. persicum