Reproductive studies in commercial cocoa tree
Keywords:
Theobroma cacao, stigma receptivity, pollen viability, clone TSH1188, clone CCN51Abstract
Theobroma cacao is a species of economic importance mainly for the food industry. The objective of the present study was to analyze pollen viability, stigma receptivity and controlled pollinations as a function of flower opening time (nine times, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) in selected plants of clones TSH1188 and CCN51. There was a higher average percentage of stigma receptivity except at the last collection time (4:00 pm). The clones showed a higher average percentage of pollen viability from 8:00 to 11:00 am. Fertilization percentage varied from 12.5 to 68.7% in clones throughout the flower opening time; a gradual trend in the fall in fertilization percentage was observed until 12:00 pm. Significant differences between clones for pollen viability and stigma receptivity were observed, indicating the influence of controlled pollination time on these characteristics.
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