Reproductive Success in Black Pepper before and after Emergence ofInflorescence

Abstract

1 J Plant Biochem Physiol, Vol. 9 Iss. 4 No: 258 inflorescence. It arises at the node opposite the leaf on a lateral plagiotropic branch [5]. The lateral branch has sympodial mode of growth, the apical bud develops into the inflorescence and the growth continued by the activity of the axillary bud [6]. In the early development, pepper inflorescence is covered by a leaflike structure called the prophyll [5]. Emergence of inflorescence from prohyll in black pepper could be regarded as equivalent to the term ‘heading’ in cereal crops. Pepper plants raised from seeds have a long period of more than three years of vegetative phase and emergence of inflorescence from the prophyll. For plants derived from cuttings emergence of inflorescence is about 1 month after planting in Hainan [7]. Once flowered, pepper plants maintain perpetual flowering habit throughout their lifetimes. This means after the pepper plants there is no distinct period of vegetative growth and reproductive growth. Thus the reproductive growth can compete with vegetative growth for nutrients. The common practice of Reproductive Success in Black Pepper before and after Emergence of Inflorescence Jianfeng Yang*, Chao Zu, Can Wang, Zhigang Li, Huan Yu, Kemo Jin Department of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China