Viability of Different Pear Pollen and the Effect on Fruit Set of ‘Anjou’ Pear ( Pyrus CommunisL.)

Abstract

‘Anjou’ flowers were hand pollinated from 12 different varieties of pears during 1990, 1991 and 1993. There was a wide range in the bloom period of the different cultivars. ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Bosc’ pollen had the best viability. Pollen from ‘Bartlett’ Pyrus calleryanaand ‘Nijissecki’ induced the most fruit set in 1990; however, there was no difference in 1991 or 1993. By hand pollinating, no relation was seen between pollen viability and fruit set. It is suggested that for best fruit set in ‘Anjou’ orchards, hand pollination should be practiced and/or the orchards should have at least 3 pollenizer varieties covering ‘Anjou’ bloom period. Seed numbers were highest in fruit that had been pollinated with pollen from ‘Old Home’ x ‘Farmingdale’ (OH x F) 333 and OH x F 69. Fruit size was different only in 1991 when the largest was from flowers receiving pollen from ‘Nijissecki,’ ‘Anjou’ or OH x F 333. Fruit size was not related to seed number. No differences were found in quality studies including firmness, soluble solids, internal color, external color and titratable acidity which shows that metaxenia does not exist in ‘Anjou’ pears.