Table 1.
Reproductive timeline: average floral bud size and gametogenesis in pineapple
| Stage | Average width of floral bud (mm) | Average height of floral bud (mm) | Ovule development; female and male gametogenesis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | Ovule primordium initiation; visible six anthers |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | Rapid growth of ovule primordium; differentiation of AC in the young anther |
| 3 | 4 | 4 | Differentiation of AC in ovule and the integument having similar height as the ovule primordium; PMC formation |
| 4 | 5 | 4 | MMC formation; PMC enters meiosis |
| 5 | 6 | 5 | Still in MMC stage; the inner integument covers the nucellus; pollen development at the tetrad stage |
| 6 | 7 | 7 | MMC prepares for meiosis; the out integument is longer than the inner integument; one-nucleate microspores |
| 7 | 8 | 8 | MMC enters meiosis stage; the out integument has reached the micropylar pole; one-nucleate microspores |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | FM formation; one-nucleate microspores |
| 9 | 9 | Petal just visible | Two-nucleate stage of female gametophyte; two-nucleate microspores |
| 10 | 9 | 1 mm petal visible | Four-nucleate stage of female gametophyte; two-nucleate microspores |
| 11 | 9 | 2.5 mm petal visible | Eight-nucleate stage of female gametophyte; three-nucleate microspores often visible |
| 12 | 9 | 6 mm petal visible | Mature female gametophyte; mature pollen grain |
AC archesporial cell, FM functional megaspore, MMC megaspore mother cell, PMC pollen mother cell