Effects of pollination on fruit set, size, and quality in feijoa (Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret)

Abstract

The role of pollination in seed production and fruit development of the feijoa (Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret) was examined in the partially self-fertile cultivar Apollo. Growth and quality attributes of fruit from cross-, self-, and open-pollinated flowers were markedly different. Cross-pollination gave the highest fruit set, fruit weight, and pulp (endocarp) development. More seeds were present in fruit from cross-pollination than in those resulting from selfing. Seed distribution within the fruit was not affected by pollination treatments. Correlations between seed number and fruit weight, and seed number and internal fruit quality (pulp development), were found in the feijoa cultivars Apollo, Triumph, Mammoth, and Gemini. In ‘Apollo’, a correlation between seed number and fruit shape was also found. It is concluded that pollination of feijoa can have significant effects on fruit uniformity via its effect on seed production.

Keywords:

• feijoa
• Acca sellowiana
• pollination
• fruit quality
• yield
• fruit size
• seed production
• ‘Apollo’
• ‘Gemini’
• ‘Triumph’
• ‘Mammoth’