This study was conducted in the
Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Uludağ University, on
the standard Quince cultivars established in the orchard at Yalova Central
Horticultural Research Institute.
Flowering period of the cultivars
was determined. Pollens of the cultivars were collected for using in
germination tests, and in crossing and selfing studies. Germination tests
were performed in vitro containing 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% sucrose solutions by
the hanging drop method. The rate of pollen tube growth in the style of
selfed and crossed flowers was determined on the samples, that taken 24
hours after pollination by Lacmoid staining method.
The squash technique was used for
observation of the pollen tube growth. Pollen germination rates were highest
in 10% and 15% sucrose solutions. Pollen tube growth rates were not
different and normal in the crossed and selfed styles. Any sign of the
incompatibility was not observed. Some of the pollen tubes reached to nearby
the ovules, 24 hours after pollination. Fruit set rates of crossed and
selfed flowers were not significantly different from each other according to
the analysis of variance, and the fruit sets changed between 49,9% and
76,1%. The weight of the fruits were not different between the selfings and
crossings and varied from 199,4g to 464,9g among the cultivars. All of these
results showed that 15 quince cultivars were self-fruitful, and a quince
orchard can be established with using a single cultivar.
Keywords: Quince, Pollination,
Fruit Set