Too cold or too warm? Modelling seed set and fruit mass based on the effect of temperature on pollen quality.

ABSTRACT: Seed and fruit set are processes determining yield in many crops. However, many growth models for horticultural crops do not explicitly incorporate these processes. The aim of this study was to develop a quantitative model to predict seed set, fruit set, and fruit mass based on the effects of temperature and duration of a period with high or low temperature on pollen number and pollen quality (viability and germination fraction). To develop the model, we conducted an experiment where fruiting dwarf tomato plants were grown at 18°C and exposed to 14°C for 4, 6, or 8 days, 30°C and 34°C for 1, 3, or 4 days, and a control treatment at 18°C continuously. Temperatures of 30°C and 34°C reduced pollen viability and germination, resulting in lower seed set and fruit mass. While fruit set remained

SUBMITTER: Zepeda AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12910505 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature