Breeding System Of Ferula Ferulaeoides

Ferula ferulaeoides (Steud.) Korov. is an early spring ephemeroid plant mainly distributing inJunggar Basin of China. In this paper, the floral morphology, flowering phonology, pollen viability, stigmareceptivity, breeding system and characteristics of pollination biology were studied, and their breedingsystem and reproductive biology were revealed. The results were as follows:The results of floral morphology showed that heteranthery and herkogamy were found in Ferulaferulaeoides which could be considered as a mechanism to prevent self-pollination and reduce interferencebetween the reproductive functions of female and male organs.The florescence of Ferula ferulaeoides was from early May to late may, and the flowering span of thepopulation was about20~23days; The flowering span of the individual was about13~16days; theflowering span of one flower was about2days.The flowering amplitudes curves showed the weather and temperature could influence the floweringphenology procession of Ferula ferulaeoides. However, the flowering phenology procession of Ferulaferulaeoides almost was a single-peak curve, the proportion of open flowers increasing rapidly to a peakand then declining rapidly over the subsequent days. Meanwhile, the synchrony index of Ferulaferulaeoides was0.867, exhibiting a so-called “Mass-flowering” pattern.The result of pollen viability showed that the pollen viability of Ferula ferulaeoides could wave withthe change of the temperature on the first day of anthesis. From8:00to12:00, the pollen viabilitystrengthened rapidly, and reached to the peak at12:00, up to90%; Then it began to reduce rapidly andreach to the lowest level. The result of stigma receptivity showed that the stigma of them had receptivitybefore the anthesis and reached the peak on the first day of anthesis. Meanwhile, the stigma receptivity ofthem could last about2days. So the optimal time to do artificial pollination experiment is the first day ofanthesis, at12:00.The result of breeding system showed that the out-crossing index of Ferula ferulaeoides was4according to the Danfi judgement. The type of breeding system of them was out-crossing andself-compatible, sometimes demanding for pollinators. The pollen-ovule ratios of Ferula ferulaeoides were2200±74.54, according to the Cruden judgement. The breeding system of Ferula ferulaeoides wasfacultative xenogamy. The fruit sets of cross-pollination were higher than those of self-pollination andhand-pollination with pollen from staminate flowers were higher than those from hermaphrodite flowers.The result of pollination biology showed that bees and fly species were the main pollinator to Ferulaferulaeoides. The daily activity of pollinators was a double-peak curve from9:00to20:00. There weresignificant differences in the number of pollinating insects visiting flowers and residence time.