SULUSOGLU, Melekber Kocaeli University - Arslanbey Agricultural Vocational School, Turkey , CAVUSOGLU, Aysun Kocaeli University - Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences - Department of Horticulture, Turkey

Pollination Biology of Cherry Laurel and Pollenizer Effects on Fruit Set and Fruit Characteristics

38684

We investigated the fertilization biology of naturally grown cherry laurels and showed the effect of pollinizers on fruit quality. This is the first study on the pollination biology of cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.), conducted among three mothers and two pollenizer types employing in vivo open, self, and cross-pollination experiments. There was no difference in the pollen viability of different pollenizer types. The initial fruit set was monitored by counting fruits after 20, 40 and 60 days of the pollination (after flowers-small fruit drop, small fruit drop and June drop). The final fruit set was recorded in the second week of July at the beginning of the fruit ripening phenophase. The percentage of fruit set was calculated by comparing the number of developed fruits with pollinated flowers. In this study, the initial fruit set was very high but dropped severely in the next 40 days. The variations in the final fruit set were attributed to the pollen source effects. According to the results, genotype 16 was the best pollenizer for all mother genotypes. The fruit set increased with cross-pollination indicating that cherry laurel is selfincompatible. The pollen source significantly affected the fruit quality parameters.

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Prunus laurocerasus L. , Pollen viability , Pollination , Fruit set , Fruit characteristics

Yuzuncu Yil University Journal Of Agricultural Sciences

289