Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-31T23:28:46.876Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Flower and pod production in Phaseolus vulgaris

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. C. Binnie
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, Northern Ireland
P. E. Clifford
Affiliation:
Botany Department, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Summary

A series of glasshouse and growth-cabinet experiments were carried out to investigate aspects of flower and pod production in Phaseolus vulgaris L. (French bean). Abscission of flowers and immature pods varied between 45 and 80% in the seven cultivars tested, with flowers which opened first being most likely to produce mature pods. Seed yield was only slightly reduced and sometimes increased by the removal of opened flowers for periods of up to 15 days from the start of anthesis depending on the conditions under which plants are grown. It was demonstrated that plants compensated for flower removal by setting pods from flowers which opened later. Similarly, when opened flowers were removed from alternate nodes plants compensated by setting pods from flowers which opened on nodes not being deflowered.

The physiological basis for premature abscission of reproductive structures in grain legumes is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

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

Addicott, F. T. & Wiatk, S. M. (1977). Hormonal aspects of abscission: biochemical and ultra-structural aspects. In Plant Growth Regulation (ed. Pilet, P. E.), pp. 249257. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Binnie, R. C. & Clifford, P. E. (1980). Effect of some defoliation and decapitation treatments on the productivity of Phaseolus vulgaris. Annals of Botany 46, 811813.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chapman, G. P., Guest, H. L. & Peat, W. E. (1978). Top-removal in single stem plants of Vicia faba L. Zeitschrift für Pflanzenphysiologie 89, 119–127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clifford, P. E. (1979). Source limitation of sink yield in mung beans. Annals of Botany 43, 397399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clifford, P. E. (1981). Control of reproductive sink yield in mung beans. Zeitschrift für Pflanzenphysiologie. (In the Press.)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrington, P. & Pate, J. S. (1981). Fruit set and development in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolins L. cv. Unicrop). I. Phenology and growth during flowering and early fruiting. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology. (In the Press.)Google Scholar
Hoaoland, D. R. & Arnon, D.I. (1950). Water culture method of growing plants without soil. California Agricultural Experimental Station Circular, No. 347.Google Scholar
Huff, A. & Dybing, C. D. (1980). Factors affecting shedding of flowers in soybean (Clycine max (L.) Merrill). Journal of Experimental Botany 31, 751762.Google Scholar
Kaul, J. N., Singh, K. B. & Sekhon, H. S. (1976). The amount of flower shedding in some kharif pulses. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 86, 219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meadley, J. T. & Milbourn, G. M. (1970). The growth of vining peas. II. The effect of density of planting. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 74, 273278.Google Scholar
Ojehomon, O. O. (1970). Effect of continuous removal of open flowers on the seed yield of two varieties of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 74, 375381.Google Scholar
Pate, J. S. & Farrington, P. (1981). Fruit set and development in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L. cv. Unicrop). II. Assimilate flow during flowering and early fruiting. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology. (In the Press.)Google Scholar
Sheldrake, A. R., Narayanan, A. & Venkata-Ratnam, N. (1979). The effects of flower removal on the seed yield of pigeonpeas (Cajanus cajan). Annals of Applied Biology 91, 383390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soper, M. H. R. (1952). A study of the principal factors affecting the establishment and development of the field bean (Vicia faba). Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 42, 335346.Google Scholar
Subhadrabandhu, S., Adams, M. W. & Reicosky, D.A. (1978). Absoission of flowers and fruits in Phaseolus vulgaris L. I. Cultivar differences in flowering pattern and abscission. Crop Science 18, 893896.Google Scholar
Subhadrabandhu, S., Dennis, F. G. & Adams, M. W. (1978). Abscission of flowers and fruits in Phaseoltts vulgaris L. II. The relationship between pod abscission and endogenous absoisic, phaseic and dihydrophaseic acids in pedicels and pods. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 103, 565567.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutcliffe, M. A. (1977). A study of the influence of variety on growth and yield in French beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L. B.Sc. Honours dissertation, School of Biology, University of Manchester.Google Scholar
Tayo, T. O. (1977). Effect of flower or pod removal on the performance of soya beans (Olycine max L.). Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 89, 229234.Google Scholar
Van Schaik, P. H. & Probst, A. H. (1958). The inheritance of inflorescence type, peduncle length, flowers per node, and percent flower shedding in soybeans. Agronomy Journal 50, 98102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar