Abstract

CONTRERAS-MAGANA, Efraín et al. Morphological characterization of floral differentation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2013, vol.19, n.4, pp.59-70. ISSN 2007-4034.

In order to produce a document that identifies the morphological stages of floral differentiation in tomato, a microscopic study was conducted at Chapingo Autonomous University from October 2010 to October 2011. Two tomato varieties, Charleston and Barbarian, ball and salad types respectively, were planted to generate plant material. They were germinated in a special chamber and upon emitting cotyledons were taken to a glasshouse where they remained until having the second inflorescence. During this period, isolations, observations and photomicrographs were made of the meristems and floral organs. Based on these images and others reported by other authors, each of the morphological stages of the floral differentiation process were interpreted and described. It was observed in this species that vegetative to reproductive differentiation occurs in the apical meristem, and when the first inflorescence forms a vegetative axillary bud continues growth and retakes apical dominance. After forming three phytomers, the second inflorescence appears. The inflorescences form basipetally: i.e., when the meristem changes to reproductive it divides into two and two floral primordia appear, then on the base more primordia appear consecutively until the complete inflorescence is formed. The floral organs appear centripetally: first the calyx, then the corolla, later the androecium (filament and anthers) and finally the gynoecium (ovary, ovules, style and stigma).

Keywords : Meristem; flowering; inflorescence; morphology.