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Published in Crop Sci 25:877-879 (1985)
© 1985 Crop Science Society of America
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Relative Development of Basal, Medial, and Apical Ovules in Soybean1

David M. Stelly2 and Reid G. Palmer3

Previous reports on ovule development of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] discordantly state that ovule development within each ovary is synchronous, or that it is asynchronous. We have studied immature ovules of soybean to determine if their development was synchronous, and, if not, to ascertain the order of their development, and the effect of asynchrony on fertility. Megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis were analyzed from archesporium formation to pollen-tube entry by using hemalum-stained sections of paraffin-embedded specimens. Relative stages of development in basal, medial, and apical ovules were determined for triovulate ovaries. Relative stages of development differed significantly, and the medial ovule was the most advanced in development. All three ovules of triovulate ovaries reached maturity before anthesis. The degree of protogyny exceeded that of variation in development, allowing for full female fertility at anthesis, and indicating that protogyny is an important aspect of the self-pollination mechanism in soybean. Protogyny also permits successful cross-pollination 1 day before flowering (anthesis) without emasculation. Whether or not the variation in ovule development lowers the seeds-per-pod yield from cross-pollinations is not known.

Key Words: Megasporogenesis • Megagametogenesis • Reproduction • Protogyny

1 Joint contribution: ARS-USDA and Journal Paper no. J-11478 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Exp, Stn., Ames, IA 50011. Project 2471.

2 Assistant professor, Dep. of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX 77843.

3 Research geneticist, USDA-ARS and Dep. of Agronomy and Genetics, Iowa state Univ., Ames IA 50011.

Received for publication June 22, 1984.




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