Reproductive Biology of Habranthus tubispathus

FERNÁNDEZ A.C. P.A.MARINANGELI. G. FACCIUTO. N. R. CURVETTO

Buenos Aires

Simposio; VII International Symposium on New Floricultural Crops; 2011

Habranthus tubispathus is a bulbous species native to the subhumid andsemiarid Pampean region of Argentina, with a high aesthetic ornamental valuefor sustainable landscaping. In order to initiate breeding studies, thereproductive biology of the species was investigated. Self- and cross-pollinationswere done on plants collected from a natural population. Fruits set wererecorded in both self- and cross-pollinated plants, as well as in freepollinated plants from the natural population. The fructification ratio, thereproductive success (RS) and the compatibility index were obtained. Also,observations of pollen tube growth in fixed pistils of both types ofpollination were evaluated. Self- and cross-pollinated plants setfruits. The fructification ratio was lower in self-pollinated plants (59.4%) inrelation to cross-pollinated ones (91%), which showed similar fructificationratio as natural pollinated plants (93%). Accordingly, RS values of 0.26 and 0.37for self-pollinated and cross-pollinated plants, respectively, were obtained; nevertheless,the growth of the pollen tubes (more than 100 tubes reaching the ovary) and thequantity of seeds per fruit (53) did not differed between these plants. Anotherevidence of H. tubispathus outbreedingpreference is the presence of herkogamy in flowers, despite that thecompatibility index (0.65) indicate that this species is partiallyself-compatible.