The quantification of floral shape variations is difficult because flower structures are both diverse and complex. Traditionally, floral shape variations are quantified using the qualitative and linear measurements of two-dimensional (2D) images. The 2D images cannot adequately describe flower structures, and thus lead to unsatisfactory discrimination of the flower shape. This study aimed to ac...

Headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used to identify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the different flower development stages of Cananga odorata for the evaluation of floral volatile polymorphism as a basis to determine the best time of harvest. Electronic nose results, coupled with discriminant factor analysis, suggested that e...

Each Ficus species depends on a specific mutualistic wasp for pollination. The wasp breeds on the fig, each larva destroying a female flower. It is, however, not known why the wasps have not evolved the ability to use all female flowers. In "dioecious" figs, the wasp can only breed in the female flowers of the "male" trees, so that pollination of a female tree is always lethal. The wasps should...

Orchids are extraordinary among plants because many species are pollinated through sexual duplicity by producing flowers that mimic female insects to lure unsuspecting males. Previous work showed that sexual deception by the orchid Chiloglottis trapeziformis can have a negative impact on its wasp pollinator Neozeleboria cryptoides. We report that female wasps may be capable of mitigating the co...

To study the role of ethylene in plant reproduction, we constructed transgenic tobacco plants in which the expression of a pistil-specific gene coding for the ethylene-forming enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase was inhibited. Flowers from transgenic plants showed female sterility due to an arrest in ovule development. Megasporogenesis did not occur, and ovules did not reach maturi...

Most plants are hermaphrodites, producing perfect flowers with both male and female functions. In roughly 6%of plants, however, male (usually XY) plants produce only male flowers and female (XX) plants produce only female flowers. Thesedioecious plants cannot self-pollinate, ensuring genetic diversity and facilitating the breeding process. In the dioecious diploid persimmon (Diospyros lotus), s...

Abstract Hybrid technology, harnessing the advantage of heterosis between two diverse genotypes to achieve maximum hybrid vigour, is widely recognized and commercially used for crop variety improvement both in field vegetable crops. Hybrids can be developed using appropriate irrespective mating pollination system plant species. Production seed depends on plant, pollinator environmental factors,...