GIBBERELLINS REGULATE CELL DIVISION AND PARTHENOCARPIC FRUIT SET IN CITRUS

Fruit set and growth is regulated by hormones interaction, gibberellins (GA) being a main part of the process in Citrus. Actually, it is well known the time-course of GA content in the citrus ovary during flowering and its correlation with fruit set in both seeded and seedless species. However, GA endogenous role is uncertain. Is GA in the ovary a direct regulator or an indirect part of the hormonal stimuli that reactivates and maintains cell division triggering fruit set? While in seeded varieties GA synthesis that occurs in fertilized ovules is the primary stimulus controlling early ovary development, is there any specific tissue-dependent regulation of parthenocarpy? While initiation of …