DEVELOPMENT OF OILSEED RAPE BUDS, FLOWERS, AND PODS INVITRO

A technique for growing buds, flowers, and pods of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. cv. Haplona) on stem explants in vitro has been developed. Open flowers and young pods underwent normal development on a basal medium of minerals, vitamins, and sucrose but the development of buds was less successful. Young buds (3 mm long) did not develop and only limited development of the older buds (5 mm long) took place. Some 3 mm-long buds were induced to develop to open flowers by adding naphthyl acetic acid or gibberellic acid. Pod and seed set in open flowers were not affected by adding plant growth substances to the medium, but pod elongation and pod dry weight were promoted by gibberellic acid, 10(-5) M, and benzyl amino purine, 10(-7) M, respectively. Reducing the supply of sucrose or minerals to open flowers reduced seed set, pod elongation and pod weight but did not affect pod set. The physiological significance of the results is discussed.