Table 1.
Analysis of fruit formation as a result of hand pollinations performed at different stages of N. tabacum flower development.
| Flower developmental stages | Length of floral bud (mm)∗ | Number of flower buds pollinated | Presence of fruit | Amount of fruits formed (%) | Average fruit weight (mg)∗∗ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 16–19 | 15 | No | 0 (0%) | - |
| 5 | 20–21 | 15 | No | 0 (0%) | - |
| 6 | 22–27 | 16 | No | 0 (0%) | - |
| Early 7 | 28–33 | 09 | No | 0 (0%) | - |
| Late 7 | 34–38 | 11 | Yes | 11 (100%) | 5.88 ± 2.9a |
| 8 | 39–42 | 17 | Yes | 17 (100%) | 9.20 ± 4.9ab |
| 9 | 43–44 | 12 | Yes | 12 (100%) | 12.13 ± 4.7ab |
| 10 | 45–46 | 13 | Yes | 13 (100%) | 14.13 ± 7.6b |
| 11 | 47 | 12 | Yes | 12 (100%) | 14.75 ± 7.8b |
*Data originally published by Koltunow et al. (1990) and used in the present work to establish the stages of tobacco flower development.
**Different letters indicate significant differences of fruit weight. Statistical analyses were performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Contrast comparison with p ≤ 0.05.