Anthesis, anther dehiscence, pistil receptivity and fruit development in the Longum group of Capsicum annuum

Abstract

Little attention has been paid to the events associated with fruit production such as flowering and seed set in chilli peppers despite this species being a major horticultural crop. To address this deficit, we examined flowering phenology in the cv. Red Hot Glory, a representative of the Longum group of peppers. Measurements of bud length and width showed that these characteristics can provide an effective index of the number of days required by a bud to reach anthesis. Anthesis itself mainly occurred during the morning with a second, smaller peak of flower opening in the afternoon. Measurements made in spring and summer suggested that the daily start of anthesis is controlled by daylength. In flowers that opened before 1700 hours, anther dehiscence took place 1 h after the buds opened; in flowers that opened later, dehiscence was delayed until the following morning. This pattern of anther dehiscence suggests that this event is partially controlled by the flower’s endogenous rhythms. Controlled pollinations showed that the period of female receptivity, as judged by seed set, lasted from 5 days before anthesis to 3 days after anthesis with maximum fertility occurring on the day of anthesis. Therefore, bud pollinations are possible, and, for maximum seed set, should be made as close to the day of anthesis as possible. This study has provided baseline data that will aid the production of new, hybrid cultivars and will facilitate further studies on the factors affecting fertility in this species.