Seedless Fruit Production by Hormonal Regulation of Fruit Set 英文参考文献.docVIP

Nutrients 2009, 1, 168-177; doi:10.3390/nu1020168 OPEN ACCESS nutrients ISSN 2072-6643 /journal/nutrients Minireview Seedless Fruit Production by Hormonal Regulation of Fruit Set Tiziana Pandolfini Dipartimento di Scienze, Tecnologie, e Mercati della Vite e del Vino, University of Verona, 37029 San Floriano (Verona), Italy; E-Mail: tiziana.pandolfini@univr.it Received: 9 October 2009 / Accepted: 18 November 2009 / Published: 23 November 2009 Abstract: Seed and fruit development are intimately related processes controlled by internal signals and environmental cues. The absence of seeds is usually appreciated by consumers and producers because it increases fruit quality and fruit shelf-life. One method to produce seedless fruit is to develop plants able to produce fruits independently from pollination and fertilization of the ovules. The onset of fruit growth is under the control of phytohormones. Recent genomic studies have greatly contributed to elucidate the role of phytohormones in regulating fruit initiation, providing at the same time genetic methods for introducing seedlessness in horticultural plants. Keywords: phytohormones; seedless fruit; parthenocarpy 1. Introduction The biological function of the fruit is the protection of embryos and seeds during their development and the facilitation of seed dispersal after maturation. The onset of fruit development from the ovary, the so-called fruit set, occurs after fertilization of the ovules and it is coordinated by signals produced by the developing embryos. The processes of seed and fruit development which are intimately connected and synchronized, are controlled by phytohormones [1]. Fruit growth can be uncoupled from fertilization and seed development as indicated by the existence of seedless mutant plants (e.g., tomato pat mutants) and seedless crops obtained by traditional breeding methods (i.e. seedless grape, citrus, cucumber