Phenological and morphological studies of Pistacia Terebinthus L. genotypes native of bulgaria with different asset of tree sexuality

Abstract

The genus Pistacia is a dioecious species staminate and pistillate inflorescences born on different trees and are wind pollinated. In pistachio orchards, female and male flowering periods are often not synchronized. In fact, male trees spread their pollen before the flowers of female trees become receptive. Pollination is commonly devoted to spontaneous males of P. terebinthus. In this research authors refer to the results obtained observing the phenology of the blooming period of monoicous genotypes of P. terebinthus discovered in the Rhodope Mountains (Bulgaria). In some selected trees phenological stages have been observed in situ. The blooming date is influenced by local environmental conditions and the relative data have been correlated with the seasonal temperature time course. The male inflorescences selected had a flowering period that overlaps the female inflorescences in the third decade of April. During male and female inflorescences development of P. terebinthus trees, buds samples were collected to describe microscopic changes during sporogenesis of pistachio inflorescence.