Fruit characteristics, seeds production and pollen tubes growth in the wild chilli pepper Capsicum flexuosum

CARRIZO GARCÍA C.

FLORA

ELSEVIER GMBH

Año: 2010

0367-2530

Fruits from different origins (from flowers hand pollinated, unpollinated, and open pollinated) and the seeds obtained were characterized in the wild chilli pepper Capsicum flexuosum Sendtn. Pollen tubes development in vivo and ovary growth were also analyzed. Seedless fruits and empty seeds were abundant among the fruits from flowers hand pollinated and open pollinated, while no more than one embryonated seed was found in a low percentage of them. Parthenocarpic fruits were formed from unpollinated flowers. Pollen tubes growth was arrested in the upper third of the style, except for a single one that may continue elongating occasionally. The ovary size increased continuously after pollination, even without fertilization. These features may help to explain the low number of embryonated seeds harvested, the abundance of seedless fruits formed from pollinated flowers (possibly parthenocarpic), and the high rate of parthenocarpic fruits formed from unpollinated flowers.