Senescence of ovules at different temperatures and their effect on the behaviour of pollen tubes in sour cherry

Abstract The ageing process of the ovules in sour cherry cultivar ‘Cacanski Rubin’ was studied on the basis of the occurrence of fluorescence at five constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C) under laboratory conditions for 2 years. A correlation was found to exist between the velocity of ovule senescence and temperature, and the number of days after anthesis. Also, unusual behaviour of pollen tubes was observed in different parts of the ovary, possibly a result of the loss of ovule viability. These phenomena were pronounced in both study years, with only slight differences.