Tomato (_Lycopersicon esculentum_ Mill.) is one of the most popular fruit vegetable around the world. Seed abortion where in only a small proportion of ovules in an ovary develops into matured seeds, is a wide spread phenomenon in multi-ovulated species. In agriculturally important crops such as chickpea, groundnut, Brassica, pigeon pea and field bean seed abortion substantially reduces their productivity. Tomato genotypes exhibited seed abortion where in only some proportion of ovules developed into matured seeds. Seed abortion in tomato cultivars would increase the cost of hybrid seed production. In this study, we have analyzed 19 genotypes for number of ovules, seed set and seed abortion. Tomato genotypes differed significantly for number of ovules per ovary, seed set per fruit and per cent seed abortion. The ovules, matured seeds and seed abortion ranged from 52 to 412 per ovary; 50.90 to 240.76 per fruit and 6.06 to 24.44 per cent respectively. Strong positive correlation was observed in genotypes with higher number of ovules showed higher percentage of seed abortion

Chalapathy  K. Reddy

Ganeshaiah Narayana

Uma  Shaanker

English

Nature Precedings

 1
ASSESSING THE GENOTYPIC DIFFERENCES FOR SEED SET AND SEED 
ABORTION IN TOMATO GENOTYPES 
 
K. Chalapathy Reddy1*, K. N. Ganeshaiah1 and Uma Shaanker2 
 
1Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 2Department of Crop Physiology, 
University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, INDIA 
 
ABSTRACT 
 
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is one of the most popular fruit 
vegetable around the world. Seed abortion where in only a small 
proportion of ovules in an ovary develops into matured seeds, is a wide 
spread phenomenon in multi-ovulated species. In agriculturally important 
crops such as chickpea, groundnut, Brassica, pigeon pea and field bean 
seed abortion substantially reduces their productivity. Tomato genotypes 
exhibited seed abortion where in only some proportion of ovules 
developed into matured seeds. Seed abortion in tomato cultivars would 
increase the cost of hybrid seed production. In this study, we have 
analyzed 19 genotypes for number of ovules, seed set and seed abortion. 
Tomato genotypes differed significantly for number of ovules per ovary, 
seed set per fruit and per cent seed abortion. The ovules, matured seeds 
and seed abortion ranged from 52 to 412 per ovary; 50.90 to 240.76 per 
fruit and 6.06 to 24.44 per cent respectively. Strong positive correlation 
was observed in genotypes with higher number of ovules showed higher 
percentage of seed abortion.  
 
Key words: Tomato, genotypic difference, ovules, matured seeds and seed abortion 
 
Author for correspondence: *K. Chalapathy Reddy, Email: chalapathy.reddy@gmail.com  
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
Intra-fruit seed abortion has been a vexing problem affecting the productivity of several 
agricultural and commercial crops and the reproductive potential of the range of wild 
plant species.  While in the agricultural crops such as red gram, ground nut, field bean, 
and perennial crops such as tamarind, pongamia seed abortion directly affects the yield 
levels, in commercial crops such as tomato, chilly, cotton etc., seed abortion reduces the 
efficiency of hybrid seed production in seed production plots. In wild plants, seed 
abortion is known to be recurring phenomenon costing to the fitness. Thus understanding 
the factors regulating seed abortion has become an important area of research both in 
improving the crop yields and in understanding the reproductive ecology of wild plants.   
 
The purpose of the present study was to know the genotypic variation for seed abortion 
across accessions. Intra-fruit seed abortion was been generally attributed to either 
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resources limitation (Willson and Schemske 1980; Stephenson 1981; Udovic and Aker 
1981; Lee and Bazzaz 1982; Wiens 1984; Lee and Bazzaz 1986; Zimmerman and Pyke 
1988) and/or to lack of pollen and fertilization (Snow 1982; McDade 1983; Wiens 1984; 
Mikesell 1988; Zimmerman and Pyke 1988; Lalonde and Roitberg 1989; Whelan and 
Goldingay 1989).  However, in recent years, several studies have shown that this abortion 
in many plant species occurs consistently over years and locations (Casper and Wiens 
1981; Arathi 1990) and is not due to pollen (Casper 1983; Uma Shaanker and Ganeshaiah 
1984; Guth and Weller 1986; Ganeshaiah and Uma Shaanker 1988; Uma Shaanker et al. 
1988) and/or resources limitation (Ojehaman 1970; Ho 1980; Michale and Berringer 
1980; Bawa and Webb 1984; Ganeshaiah and Uma Shaanker 1988; Chalapathy Reddy et 
al. 2009). Other authors have pointed out that many plants are likely to be limited by both 
resources and pollen and complex interactions between resources and pollen availability 
can occur.  For example, plants can be limited by resources when pollen is abundant or 
limited by pollen when a resource is abundant (Casper and Niesenbaun 1993). 
Alternatively, resources and pollen might affect different components of reproduction, 
such as when resources primarily affect ovule production, and pollination primarily 
affects the proportion of ovules that develops into seed (Campbell and Haloma 1993). In 
this study, we analyzed intra-fruit seed abortion patterns in tomato genotypes. 
 
MATERIAL AND METHODS 
 
Nineteen tomato genotypes were collected from the tomato breeding centre, Department 
of Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS); these 
genotypes were consisted of cultivated, improved varieties and other germplasm 
accessions. These were grown under all recommended package of practices in, Hebbal 
Farm, UAS, Bangalore. After anthesis, the young 10 flowers from each genotype were 
collected and ovule count was taken present in each ovary. The seeds were also counted 
at 25 days after anthesis (DAA) and at maturity by cutting the fruit into three equal parts 
(viz. Pedicel, Middle and Stylar) and seeds were classified into developed and developing 
(at 25 DAA) and mature, immature and dead seeds (at maturity). The seed pool at 25 
DAA and maturity consists of developed and developing seeds; matured, immature and 
dead seeds respectively. The developing seeds at 25 DAA; immature and dead seeds at 
maturity considered as aborted seeds and accordingly per cent seed abortion were 
computed.  
 
 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
 
Tomato genotypes differed significantly for the number of ovules per ovary and this per 
se appeared to contribute significantly to the number of seeds set in the fruits as indicated 
by the significant positive correlation between these two parameters (Figure 1).  In other 
words, the number of seeds set in the fruits of a genotype is determined largely, by the 
ovules in the ovaries of the genotypes. The number of ovules in the ovary appears to be 
shaped by the process of unintended selection under domestication for increased seed 
number. For instance the wild relative, L. hirsutum had only 46 seeds (from 52 ovules per 
ovary) while some of the improved lines such as Arka abha, Arka megali etc had ovules 
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and seeds in the highest range among the genotypes. Nevertheless domestication does not 
appear to have brought about a significant increase in the proportion of ovules maturing; 
the per cent seeds that matured from the total seed pool at maturity was negatively 
correlated with the number of ovules (Figure 2, r = -0.64; p<0.01); the wild accession had 
the highest per cent of ovules maturing to seeds (90 per cent; Table 1) while the most 
genetically improved lines such as Arka abha, Pusa ruby etc had lowest range of the 
proportions of the ovules or seed pool maturing to seeds. 
 
Figure 1 Relationship between number of ovules and matured seeds in 19 tomato 
genotypes.
r = 0.86
p<0.01
n = 19
40.00
90.00
140.00
190.00
240.00
290.00
40 90 140 190 240 290 340 390 440
Number of ovules
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s
 
 
Figure 2: Relationship between percent seed abortion and seed set to ovule ration in 19 
tomato genotypes
r = -0.64
p<0.01
n = 19
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00
Percent seed abortion
Se
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Table 1: Genotypic variation for mean number ovules per ovary, seed pool, 
developing seeds per fruit and per cent abortion during 25 DAA in 19 genotypes 
 
Mean ovules Mean seed Mean developing seeds Per cent seed 
 per ovary + SE  pool per fruit + SE per fruit + SE abortion
1 Arka abha 412.00 + 16.14 194.34 + 9.31 47.34 + 2.42 32.20
2 Arka megali 270.00 + 18.77 219.42 + 9.36 49.12 + 4.91 28.84
3 BWR 206.00 + 17.29 116.63 + 1.72 21.86 + 2.02 23.06
4 Co-1 206.00 + 09.18 191.69 + 6.05 30.95 + 1.48 19.25
5 Co-2 348.00 + 22.96 240.76 + 12.10 38.67 + 1.51 19.14
6 Co-3 189.00 + 09.99 179.83 + 2.52 22.83 + 0.86 14.54
7 L.hirsutum 052.00 + 01.88 050.90 + 3.29 03.10 + 1.17 6.49
8 PKM 215.00 + 10.75 189.95 + 6.74 25.93 + 2.48 15.81
9 Pusaruby 191.00 + 11.74 137.59 + 9.93 25.05 + 4.71 22.26
10 Shakthi 140.00 + 09.91 108.60 + 6.94 20.70 + 2.08 23.55
11 Shapard 206.00 + 17.18 159.56 + 9.22 39.00 + 2.75 32.35
12 Sonali 256.00 + 9.91 198.88 + 13.93 46.00 + 1.56 30.09
13 TLB 111 121.00 + 07.57 119.66 + 5.54 12.86 + 1.82 12.04
14 TLB 119 082.00 + 04.92 064.80 + 3.96 05.60 + 1.47 9.46
15 TLB 129 151.00 + 05.23 121.08 + 6.11 11.08 + 2.81 10.07
16 TLB 130 194.00 + 06.34 127.85 + 6.27 10.05 + 4.46 8.53
17 TLB 134 174.00 + 07.52 138.00 + 7.00 02.10 + 0.48 1.55
18 V-13 124.40 + 04.15 075.55 + 1.77 06.09 + 0.81 8.77
19 V-14 143.60 + 06.46 105.99 + 2.42 07.10 + 0.76 7.18
Mean 192.68 144.28 22.39 17.11
SE 18.75 53.25 15.75 9.23
Sl.No. Genotypes
 
 
Table 2: Genotypic variation for mean number ovules, seed pool, matured, 
immature, dead seeds and per cent seed abortion in 19 tomato genotypes 
 
Ovules per Seed pool Matured seeds Immature seeds Dead seeds Percent
ovary + SE per fruit + SE per fruit + SE per fruit + SE per fruit + SE Abortion
1 Arka abha 412.00 + 16.14 235.00 + 11.46 188.13 + 10.30 09.53 + 1.46 37.33 + 4.80 24.91
2 Arka megali 270.00 + 18.77 256.08 + 17.04 211.16 + 13.87 13.58 + 2.97 31.33 + 4.16 21.27
3 BWR 206.00 + 17.29 133.36 + 12.44 112.82 + 11.37 08.18 + 1.10 12.36 + 1.77 18.21
4 Co-1 206.00 + 09.18 170.74 + 12.19 149.81 + 12.29 05.64 + 0.63 15.29 + 1.27 13.97
5 Co-2 348.00 + 22.96 260.66 + 20.49 234.85 + 19.15 07.68 + 1.07 18.13 + 1.97 10.99
6 Co-3 189.00 + 09.99 161.91 + 09.44 144.23 + 08.83 03.67 + 0.41 14.05 + 1.08 12.26
7 L.hirsutum 052.00 + 01.88 47.50 + 02.42 046.60 + 02.37 00.10 + 0.10 00.80 + 0.19 1.93
8 PKM 215.00 + 10.75 191.54 + 07.39 175.77 + 06.77 05.00 + 0.73 10.77 + 0.87 8.97
9 Pusa ruby 191.00 + 11.74 157.08 + 07.51 133.50 + 05.74 08.42 + 2.58 15.17 + 1.63 17.67
10 Shakthi 140.00 + 09.91 119.10 + 05.42 101.60 + 05.41 07.10 + 0.67 10.40 + 0.76 17.22
11 Shapard 206.00 + 17.18 139.92 + 05.83 113.67 + 06.32 11.67 + 1.52 14.58 + 1.68 23.09
12 Sonali 256.00 + 9.91 179.30 + 09.23 147.30 + 08.66 12.20 + 2.31 19.80 + 2.57 21.72
13 TLB 111 121.00 + 07.57 083.10 + 05.48 077.40 + 05.06 02.50 + 0.45 03.20 + 0.36 7.36
14 TLB 119 082.00 + 04.92 071.70 + 01.88 061.20 + 02.67 05.60 + 0.81 04.90 + 0.94 17.16
15 TLB 129 151.00 + 05.23 132.34 + 04.38 121.70 + 04.34 03.00 + 0.40 07.64 + 0.64 8.74
16 TLB 130 194.00 + 06.34 165.00 + 07.43 155.38 + 07.16 02.92 + 0.36 06.70 + 0.96 6.19
17 TLB 134 174.00 + 07.52 145.60 + 08.09 135.90 + 07.31 02.10 + 0.28 07.60 + 0.82 7.14
18 V-13 124.40 + 04.15 083.10 + 09.60 077.30 + 08.95 02.80 + 0.64 03.00 + 1.20 7.50
19 V-14 143.60 + 06.46 100.36 + 22.04 087.09 + 19.21 04.18 + 1.56 09.09 + 1.85 15.24
Average 192.68 149.13 130.28 6.1 12.74 13.77
SD 85.87 59.56 50.08 3.77 9.28 6.55
GenotypesSl. No.
 
 
 
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Seed abortion pattern and causes for seed abortion 
The genetic differences among the genotypes for the seed set ratios can not be attributed 
to the resource and pollen limitation, the two major proximate factors generally argued to 
be causing seed abortion in plants.  Since all the genotypes were grown under the similar 
environmental and management conditions, the resource and pollen availability could not 
have been brought about by the external or environmental conditions. However, there 
could be genetic differences for the extent of internal (intra-plant) resources made 
available for the development of the fruits within each genotype. Similarly, differential 
seed abortion among the genotypes could be brought about due to the differential genetic 
quality of the pollen grain in their flowers. Indirect evidence seem to suggest that these 
possibilities are unlikely: The fruits that suffer from resource limitation are known to 
exhibit increased seed abortion at the proximal (pedicel) end; on the other hand those 
suffering from qualitative and or qualitative limitation of pollen grains are shown to 
exhibit increased abortion at the distant (stylar) part of the fruits. The 19 genotypes 
studied though differed for the number of seeds set at the pedicel, middle and stylar 
regions, they did not differ for the proportion of ovules (or of the seed pool) developing 
to mature seeds at the three positions (Figure 3). Thus, the resource and pollen limitations 
do not appear to be the major factors causing seed abortion in tomato genotypes.  
 
Figure 3.   Genotypic variation for positional (Pedicel, Middle and Stylar) per seed abortion at maturity in 
19 tomato genotypes.
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
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Pedicel  Middle Stylar
 
 
On the other hand there was a strong suggestion that the observed differences in the seed 
abortion among the genotypes is perhaps due to the genetic differences in the rates of 
resource flow to the ovules after fertilization - a process proposed by the concept of the 
self-organized flow of resources differences. The seed set ratios of the genotypes were 
positively correlated with the sink drawing ability of their ovules measured by the 
amount of labeled sucrose taken up by these ovules immediately following fertilization 
(Chalapathy Reddy et al. 2009). 
 
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: We thank Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the 
Environment (ATREE), Bangalore, India for the financial support.  
 
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Asymmetric development of cotyledons of tomato embryo: testing the prediction of self-organization.

Comparative development of viable and aborted ovules in Phytolacca americana L.

Control of important tomato fruits.

Does pollination efficiency shape pollen grain to ovule ratio?

Effect of continuous removal of open flowers on the seed yield of two varieties of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata].

Factors affecting seed set in Telopea speciossima: the importance of pollen limitation.

Fixed rates of random ovule abortion in Cryptantha flava [Boraginaceae] and its possible relation to seed dispersal.

Flower and fruit abortion: Proximate causes and ultimate functions.

Flower fruit and seed abortion in tropical forest trees: Implications for evolution of paternal and maternal reproductive patterns.

Fruit abortion and the regulation of fruit number in Yucca whipplei.

Maternal regulation of fecundity: Non-random ovule abortion in Cassia fassiculata.

On limits to seed production.

Ovule survivorship, brood size, life history, breeding systems and reproductive success in plants.

Pollen versus resources limitation of seed production: A reconsideration.

Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia.

Pollination intensity and seed set in Trichanthera gigantea.

Pollination, Fertilization and ovule abortion in Oxalis magnfica.

Pollinator limitation, fruit production and floral display in Pawpaw [Asimina triloba].

Proximate causes of embryo abortion in plants with reference to Derris indica (Lam) and Syzygium

Regulation of fruit and seed production in an annual legume, Cassia fasiculata.

Reproduction in polemonium: Assessing factors limiting seed set.

Resource limitation and offspring size and number trade-offs in Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae).

Resources and pollen limitation to lifetime seed production in antural plant population.

Seed abortion in wind dispersed pods of Dalbergia sissoo: Maternal regulation or sibling rivalry?

The efficiency of pollen transfer and rates of embryo initiation in Cryptantha.

The role of hormones in yield formation: In physiological aspects of crop productivity

Assessing the Genotypic Differences for Seed Set and Seed Abortion in Tomato Genotypes

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Assessing the Genotypic Differences for Seed Set and Seed Abortion in Tomato Genotypes

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