Self-fertile, each flower is equipped with both male and female reproductive parts. So, with just a few minutes of extra effort a week if conditions are less than ideal, you can be sure of an abundant, fruitful crop! Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants that have the perfect flowers for the task.
That is, each flower contains both the male and female reproductive organs i. This makes pollination easy because each blossom releases pollen from the stamen to land on its own stigma. And once fertilized, fruit develops. Typically, tomato fertilization is achieved through buzz or wind pollination.
But numerous studies have determined that buzz pollination is the most effective in terms of fruit size, yield quantities, and increased seed count. Buzz pollination occurs when certain insects, ones with the right vibes such as bumblebees Bombus spp. Wind pollination occurs when a breeze shakes the blossoms to release pollen. However, in the world of pollen grains, Solanum pollen is sticky and heavy, so it takes a good breeze to release the grains from the anthers.
Pollen shed normally occurs from morning to late afternoon, with midday being the ideal time for release and transfer. Some pollen transfer still occurs in less than ideal weather. To mimic the conditions of either wind or buzzing insects, any one of the following methods will improve fruit set. This can be done by gently, but rapidly, tapping the top of each flower. If you simply wish to give the flowers a helping hand then you can use the paintbrush technique to transfer pollen from a male flower to a female or you can pick a male flower and remove its petals to expose the pollen-containing anthers before rubbing the pollen onto the stigma of the female flower.
When attempting to produce true to type seed then this process may be used, but it is necessary to prevent cross pollination by taping flowers closed both before and after you hand pollinate. Hi Larry. On tomatoes. We grow them under protection and had a lot off problems with the yield.
In the past few years we have used a commercial blower to blow the plants with and create a artificial wind. This gets done every day round about in the morning. Note: The blower only runs at idling speed.
Leaf Blower we use. Time of day is also important - it needs to be warm enough for the pollen not to be 'sticky', ie, when you shake or vibrate the flower truss it will release pollen easily - usually between 10 am and 3pm. You need to log in if you'd like to add an answer or comment. He is actively involved in the science and practice of sustainable agriculture and now writes primarily on these topics. He completed his copy-editing certificate in and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California-San Diego.
Are Tomatoes Self-Pollinating? Home Guides Garden Pest Control. By Joseph West.
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