Effects of Flowering Period on Nectar Secretion and Fruit Set of Epimedium wushanense(Berberidaceae)

Abstract

The effect of flowering time on nectar secretion,effective pollinators activities and fruit set in Epimedium wushanense were revealed by One-way ANOVA.Among the three stage of flowering,the differences in nectar standing crop and sugar content of E.wushanense were very remarkable.In this three populations,the nectar standing crop in the initial stage was higher than that in other stages,but the sugar content of nectar was higher in the last stage.The results indicated that the activities of effective pollinators were influenced by the flowering time significantly.During a day,the activities of effective pollinators were mainly concentrated in the noon.At the same time the visiting frequency of effective pollinators in last stage was higher than that in the initial and middle stage.It was also indicated that the fruit set,the seed number and percentage of seed abortion per fruit of E.wushanense were influenced by the flowering time significantly.During the initial and the middle stage of flowering,the fruit set and the seed number per fruit were bigger than that in the last stage of flowering.But the percentage of seed abortion per fruit was higher in the last stage.So,in order to make work more effective,we should choose the fruits of E.wushanense in the initial of flowering stage for experiments and breeding,and pay attention to the flowering regulation in artificial cultivation.