Flowering and Fruiting Behaviour, In Vitro Germination and Viability of Pollen Grains of Some Commercial Peach Cultivars

The flowering behaviour, germination of pollen grains, pollen tube length and pollen viability and fruit setting were studied on five cultivars of peaches. Maximum anthesis (more than 50 per cent of the flowers) occurred between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Maximum germination (82.8 per cent in 20 per cent sucrose concentration) was observed in variety Early Amber and minimum (16.1 per cent in 10 per cent sucrose solution) in the variety L. R. Brother Special. Maximum tube length 94.4 μm was seen in the variety Early Amber in distilled water, and minimum tube length was represented by the variety L. R. Brother Special in 15 and 25 per cent sucrose concentrations. Maximum viability was found in variety Dr. Hogg (92.18 per cent) and minimum in the variety L. R. Brother Special (36.37 per cent). Maximum fruit setting (55.62 per cent) was seen in variety Dr. Hogg, while minimum (30.24 per cent) in variety Waldo.