Abstract

Chinese chestnut trees spread all over the world produce nut and chestnuts that have considerable economical value. Ovary development is an important step in nut production. Normal ovary development probably requires the coordinated action of plant hormones. Endogenous hormone status of chestnut tree, particularly IAA, IBA, GA3 and ZT, influences chestnut ovary development as well as nut yield. Changes in endogenous hormones during ovary development in chestnut cultivar ‘Yanshanzaofeng’ have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, cultivar ‘Yanshanzaofeng’ and ‘Dabanhong’ were used as materials. About 50~100 pollinated female inflorescences were picked every five days (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 days, respectively) to determine the IAA, ABA, GA3 and ZT levels by HPLC. The results showed that there were differences between self-and cross- pollination endogenous hormone change rules during the development of ovary. The IAA and GA3 contents in ovary of self-pollination were significantly higher than cross-pollination during pollination and fertilization period, which suggested that lower IAA and GA3 acts as a positive regulator of fertilization. In the first 40 DAP, ZT level in ovaries of self-and cross-pollination almost have the same change rule, but changed dramatically in the last 10 DAP, which suggested that ZT serves as a positive regulator for young fruit. ABA level in ovary of self-pollination was significantly higher than cross-pollination in the first 30 DAP. It seems that high ABA level was probably related with self-incompatibility in chestnut. The findings of this study could lay the scientific basis for spraying GA3, IAA and ZT during ovary development and may have the potential to improve nut yield.

Keywords:

Castanea mollissima blume, endogenous hormone, ovary, pollination,

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