Effects of ABA Applications on Plant Growth, Sex Expression and Pollen Quality in Melon

Abstract

It is important to use male sterility or chemical hybridization agents (CHA) to cause male sterility in the andromonoic female parent material to avoid time, labor and yield loss in hybrid seed production in melon. In this study, the effects of ABA which is a phytohormone and used as CHA in some plant species, on plant growth, male flower formation and pollen quality in Galia melon variety were investigated. In this research, two doses of 250 and 500 ppm of ABA were applied at seedling (F), at the first flowering period of hanged plants in greenhouse (İÇ) and at seedling + first flowering periods (F + İÇ). The control treatment was only sprayed with water. According to research findings, F + İÇ and F applications of 500 ppm dose of ABA were slightly suppressed the plant growth at the beginning, however this effect was lifted with the increase of temperature. While ABA applications did not prevent opening of male flowers, the number of male flowers were decreased by 62% compared to control at 500 ppm F + İÇ application. There is no quality enhancing effect of ABA applications on pollen viability and germination which both were found above 95%.