Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T00:07:14.827Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Pollination requirements of linseed (Linum usitatissimum)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

I. H. Williams ,
A. P. Martin  and
S. J. Clark
I. H. Williams
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Arable Crops Research, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ, UK
A. P. Martin
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Arable Crops Research, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ, UK
S. J. Clark
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Arable Crops Research, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The phenology of anthesis, anther dehiscence, fertilization and petal fall in the linseed cultivar Antares and its response to supplementary pollination when grown in a glasshouse were investigated. Anthesis commenced 15–30 min after the onset of the photophase and was complete within 2 h. Anthers dehisced when buds were in the tube stage of opening and produced a mean of c. 4·5 × 103 pollen grains per flower. Most ovules were fertilized within 6 h of the onset of the photophase. Flowers self pollinated naturally and, although supplementary pollination increased the percentage of flowers that produced capsules and the number of seeds per capsule, it decreased flower production and individual seed weight and conferred no increase in seed yield. Flowers retained their petals for at least 2 h after the onset of the photophase but, by 10 h, 97% of hand-pollinated flowers had shed their petals; those naturally self pollinated or shaken retained their petals for longer.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 115 , Issue 3 , December 1990 , pp. 347 - 352
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Alex, A. H. (1957). Pollination of some oilseed crops by honeybees. Progress Report, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station 1960. 5 pp.Google Scholar
Dillman, A. C. (1938). Natural crossing in flax. Journal of the American Society of Agronomy 30, 279–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gubin, A. F. (1945). Cross-pollination of fibre flax. Bee World 26, 30–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hassanein, M. H. (1955). The value of pollinating insects to flax seed production in Egypt. Annals of Agricultural Science, Ein Shams University 773–784.Google Scholar
Howard, A., Howard, G. L. C. & Khan, A. R. (1919). Studies in the pollination of Indian crops. Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture in India, Botanical Series 10, 195–220.Google Scholar
Kozin, R. B. (1954). Effect of bees on the seed crop of flax. Pchelovodstvo 6, 41–43 [in Russian].Google Scholar
Oberle, G. D. & Goertzen, K. L. (1952). A method for evaluating pollen production of fruit species. Proceedings of the American Society for Horticultural Science 59, 263–265.Google Scholar
Pritsch, G. (1965). Untersuchungen über die Steigerung der Ölfruchterträge durch Honigbienen. Vědecké Praće Výzkumného Ústavu Včelarského, ČSAZV 4, 157–163.Google Scholar
Smirnov, V. M. (1954). Cross-pollination of flax by bees. Pchelovodstvo 9, 53–55 [in Russian].Google Scholar
Williams, I. H. (1988). The pollination of linseed and flax. Bee World 69, 145–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, I. H., Martin, A. P. & White, R. P. (1987). The effect of insect pollination on plant development and seed production in winter oilseed rape. (Brassica napus L.). Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 109, 135–139.Google Scholar