Floral orientation affects outcross-pollen deposition in buzz-pollinated flowers with bilateral symmetry.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

Floral orientation is central to plant-pollinator interactions and is commonly associated with floral symmetry. Bilaterally symmetrical flowers are often oriented horizontally for optimal pollinator positioning and pollen transfer efficiency, while the orientation of radially symmetrical flowers is variable. Buzz-pollinated species (pollinated by vibration-producing bees) include bilateral, horizontally oriented flowers, and radial, pendant flowers. The effect of floral orientation on pollen transfer has never been tested in buzz-pollinated species.

Methods

Here, we examined the effect of floral orientation on bumblebee-mediated pollen deposition in three buzz-pollinated Solanum species with different floral symmetry and natural orientations: S. lycopersicum and S. s

SUBMITTER: Nevard L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9828177 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature