Full text in pdf format

Hermaphroditism in the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex Adr. de Juss.) Müell. Arg.

S.M. Cuco; G. Bandel

Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 83, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brasil. Send correspondence to G.B.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to obtain information about the reproductive biology of Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex Adr. de Juss.) Müell. Arg. The internal organization of the flowers of 13 clones of the species (GT 711, PR 107, Fx 25, AVROS 1328, RRIM 526, RRIM 600, Tjir 1, Tjir 16, IAC 1, IAC 2, IAN 2652, IAN 2813 and PB 86) was studied by analyzing the histological sections of flower buds. Among female flowers 25.8% were hermaphrodites (in clones GT 711, Tjir 16, PR 107 and AVROS 1328). There was evidence of protandry and cleistogamy in H. brasiliensis.

Keywords: hermaphroditism; rubber tree; Hevea brasiliensis.

REFERENCES

Bouychou, J.G. (1963). La biologie de l'Hevea. In: Manuel du Planteur d'Hevea. Extract of Rev. Gen. Caoutchouc et Plastiques, Paris, pp. 17.

Compagnon, P. (1986). Le caoutchouc nature' - Biologie, culture, product ion. In: Collection "Techniques Agricoles et Productions Tropicales" (Coste, R., ed.). Editions G.-P. Maisonneuve et Larose, Paris, pp. 595.

Sedgley, M. and Attanayake, D.P.S.T.G. (1988). The breeding system of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis): an evaluation of controlled hand pollination methods. Euphytica 39: 83-91.