Reproductive Responses of Heat-tolerant Tomatoes to High Temperatures1

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Abstract
High-temperature responses of heat-tolerant tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cvs. Saladette, PI 262934, BL6807, S6916, CIAS161, and VF36) were studied at 38/27°C day/night temperature. Flower production was reduced in all cultivars except BL6807 which partitioned a greater proportion of total assimilates to the flowers. Only ‘Saladette’ and VF36 showed a total lack of stigma exsertion, which in effect is functional male sterility. Pollen production was reduced in all cultivars, and there was a lack of pollen dehiscence. Several techniques were used to evaluate gamete viability. There was poor agreement among the 3 methods used to assess pollen viability. ‘Saladette’ suffered the least reduction for in vitro germination but had the greatest loss in seed set when high-temperature pollen was used. Seed set is probably the most reliable method to measure gamete viability. CIAS 161 and S6916 had the least reduction in pollen viability according to seed set criteria. Ovule viability is much more difficult to adequately evaluate. According to seed set criteria PI 262934 ovules suffered the least damage due to high temperatures. Whether the male or female gamete was affected more severely depended on genotype. Pollen viability was greatly reduced in PI 262934 but ovule viability was less severely affected. In BL6807 ovule viability was more severely reduced than pollen viability.

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