Pollination success

Glover BJ, Martin C. 1998. The role of petal cell shape and pigmentation in pollination success in Antirrhinum majus. Heredity 80 778-784. 

Feinsinger P. K., Murray K. G., Kinsman S. and Busby W. H. (1986) Floral neighborhood and pollination success in four hummingbird-pollinated cloud forest plant species. Ecology 67, 449 -64. 

Organisms capitalize on their relationships in a variety of ways, from birds and bees pollinating plants to mollusks taking up cnidocysts from prey. Parasitism is another type of relationship with ancient roots. Ordinarily defined as a —/+ relationship in which one member of a pair, the host, suffers a loss of fitness, while the other member, the parasite, benefits, parasitism may be better understood as a successful relationship in which the benefit/cost ratio reverses itself at the parasite s departure from its host. At that time, the parasite, rather than the host, pays an energetic premium. 

Ethylene-dependent mechanism terminates flower life after successful pollination as a way to benefit survival of the species. Usually, in species with short-lived flowers, such an ethylene-dependent termination apparently is not beneficial as the life of individual flowers is short anyway. Similarly, in species with numerous flowers in one flower head in which continuous visits of pollinators are required, ethylene-dependent termination is not beneficial. ... 

For general advice, see Apples (p.294). Most European plums will set some fruit without cross-pollination, but nearly all will yield better when cross-pollinated by another European cultivar. Japanese plums must be cross-pollinated by either a Japanese or American type. American plums also need cross-pollination for best yields. Rootstock choice can further influence your plum trees success. Ask a specialty fruit nursery for help in selecting a suitable combination of trees on appropriate rootstocks. 

Schiestl, F. P. and Ayasse, M. (2001). Post-pollination emission of a repellent compound in a sexually deceptive orchid a new mechanism for maximizing reproductive success Oecologia 126 531-534. 

Insects are so successful because of their mobility, high reproductive potential, ability to exploit plants as a food resource, and to occupy so many ecological niches. Plants are essentially sessile and can be seen to produce flowers, nector, pollen, and a variety of chemical attractants to induce insect cooperation in cross-pollination. However, in order to reduce the efficiency of insect predation upon them, plants also produce a host of structural, mechanical, and chemical defensive artifices. The most visible chemical defenses are poisons, but certain chemicals, not intrinsically toxic, are targeted to disrupt specific control systems in insects that regulate discrete aspects of insect physiology, biochemistry, and behavior. Hormones and pheromones are unique regulators of insect growth, development, reproduction, diapause, and behavior. Plant secondary chemicals focused on the disruption of insect endocrine and pheromone mediated processes can be visualized as important components of plant defensive mechanisms. 

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