Factors Limiting Fruit And Seed Set In Taro

Jose  R. Pardales Jr.,

Factors Limiting Fruit And Seed Set In Taro

Abstract:

The factors which limited fruit and seed development in taro were determined through laboratory and field observations in the flowers of 18 selected cultivars from the4.aro germplasm in the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center in ViSCA, Baybay, Leyte. The limited fruit and seed set in some taro cultivars were attributed to the following factors: (1) failure of the staminate flowers to produce pollen; (2) short receptivity period of the stigmas; (3) relatively low pollen fertility; (4) irregular number of ovules in the ovaries; (5) presence of trinucleate pollen; and (6) short life duration of the flowers. Low seed set in taro may also be influenced by (a) fungal infection causing decay in many flowers, especially after controlled pollination; and (b) presence of insects found to be feeding on the pollen grains during pollen shedding.

References:

ABRAHAM, A., and RAMACHANDRAN, K. 1960. Growing Colocasia embryos in culture. Curr. Sci. (a): 342-343.
BREWBAKER, J.L. 1957. Pollen cytology and self-incompatibility systems in plants. J. Hered. 48:271-277.
BURNHAM, M. 1967. Ovule number as a factor in low seed set of certain sweet potato clones. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 90: 313-315.
JACKSON, G.V.H., and PELOMO, P.M. 1979. Breeding for resistance to diseases of taro, Colocasia esculenta, in Solomon Islands. IFS Provisional Report No. 5, pp. 287-298.
JOS, J.S., and RAJENDRAN, P.G. 1976. Occurrence and behavior of supernumerary chromosomes in Spathiphyllum cannifolium. Genet. Iber. 28:47-56.
JOS, J.S., VASUDEVAN, K., and MAGOON, M.L. 1967. In vitro germination of pollen in aroids. Ind. J. Hort. 24: 168-172.
JOS, J.S., VIJAYA BAI, K., and HRISHI, N. 1979. Major factors limiting seed set in taro. IFS Provisional Report No. 5, pp. 259-267.
MARTIN, F. W., and ORTIZ, S. 1966. Germination of sweet potato pollen in relation to incompatibility and sterility. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 88:491-497.
PLUCKNETT, D.L. 1970. Colocasia, Xanthosoma, Cyrtosperma and Amorphophallus. Trop. Roots and Tuber Crops Tomorrow. 1:127-135.
WILSON, J.E. 1979. Progress in the breeding of cocoyam (Colocasia and Xanthosoma). IFS Provisional Report No. 5, pp. 299-308.