Study On Reproductive Characteristics Of Prunus Mume

Prunus mume is originated from China, and has been planted for more than 3000 years,a traditional and famous flower in China.The reproductive characteristics is important forthe breeding, the resources evaluation and pollination biology. In this study, the charactersof pollen, pistil, pollination compatibility of the cultivars of prunus mume were study. Thebrief results are as follows:1. The number of grains per anther was determined. Effects of liquid culture andstages of pollen germiantion of over forty prunus mume cultivars were investigated. Theresults indicated that the number of pollen grains per anther varied greatly among thecultivars. For example, some cultivars didn't possess any pollen grains, whereas somecultivars even had nearly 20000 pollen grains per anther. Different cultivars neededdifferent optimum liquid culture medium, but the medium supplemented with 10% sugarand 0.01% boric acid was suitable for pollen germination of most cultivars. In general,pollen grains started to germinate in 30min, and the length of pollen tubes reached the peakafter 6h culture. There was no significant difference in germination rate between the pollengrains collected at early stages of florescence and those collected in full bloom. There was acertain positive correlation between pollen germination rate and the leve of full pollengrains satiation as well as pollen quantity.2. The rate of complete flower of 37 cultivars was investigated and the receptivity ofstigma of 8 cultivars was observed by fluorescence microstructure. The results showed thatthe complete flower were varied among the cultivars,the highest rate reached 95%,whilelowest one was only 1%. The average rate of the complete flower was 57.65%. Thedegeneration and petalody of pistil, agenesis of ovary and multi-pistil were ovserved. Thepollination receptivity of pistil differed in cultivars. For most cultivars, the receptiveduration of stigma is 6-7d, some even can be 8d, whereas in others cultibvars it is only 3-4d.for some cultivars, the stigma is not pollination receptive because of degeneration andpetalody of stigma. Most cutivars are polliantion receptive befor bloom, i.e., befor pollendispersing. In these cultivars are always with well-developed stigma, wet stigma, srtong pillar and larger ovary.3. The character of pollination was also studied. The result indicated that the pollendistribution was not affected by wind. Self-incompatibility existed in some cultivars. Thetotal value of OCI is 3.The seed set rate with different treatments show that its breedingsystem is facultative hybridization. Polliantion insects is mainly western bee (Apismellifer). the rate of seed beating varied greatly in different cultivars. The seed germinaterate is low too.4. Intraspecies and interspecies cross were made between prunus mume cultivars andpeach(P. persica), apricot(P. armeniaca) and plum(P. salicina), repetitively. The sesultsshowed that the fruit setting percentage was positive realation with both the activity ofpollen and fruit setting in nature of the mother. There are distant hybridization betweenprunus murae and peach apricot and plum. 10mg.L^-1GA₃ and 50mg.L^-1 boracic acid couldimprove the fruit set. Butα-NAA and cutting chapiter could not improve the fruit setting.Cross-compatibility between prunus mume and apricot was better than that peach betweenand plum.