| Show Keeping Up 1 LI LIC C D Science e Service e. Service e Seedless Peppers and Tomatoes Can Be Produced Results of Treatment With Four Acids ANN ARBOR MICH Seedless tomatoes and peppers peppers peppers pep pep- pers have been induced to form in flowers by treating the fruit ing parts or ovaries with any anyone one ot four different organic organic or or- ganic acids Dr Felix G G. Gustafson of the University of Michigan has reported to the National Academy of Sciences Sd- Sd through that body's official proceedings Similar results were also obtained with the fruits and seed pods of a number of other vegetables vege vege- tables and garden flowers While no immediate commercial application is contemplated it is interesting to note that in the tomatoes toma toes at least the seedless specimens had very small spaces seed spaces seed Indeed in some of the smaller ones the flesh was completely solid Immediate commercial exploitation is regarded as Impracticable at present because each flower requires Individual operation operation op op- by a skilled botanist The Thereal Thereal Thereal real significance cance of the experiments is the proof that fruit production without pollination is possible through the use of promoting growth-promoting substances Four Acids Are Used The chemicals used by Dr Gustafson Gus talson were acid butyric acid acetic acid and acid All of these have been used by a number of botanical researchers to promote the growth of stems leaves etc on dormant plants and parts o 0 ot I f plants One acetic acid has been found in extracts of plants and has bas been called because because be be- cause it acts hi in promoting growth like the natural growth pro substance In the experiments the stigma or natural receiving pollen surface was cut off oft and the growth ing lag acid preparation smeared on the cut surface From there It diffused Into the ovary and caused the development of all aU parts except the fertile seeds themselves In some of the species used seeds did develop but when they were cut open they were found to be hollow without the tiny embryo plant necessary for germination In other cases as in the seedless tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes toma toma- toes the fruits grew and ripened normally and did not contain even hollow bollow seeds In all aU the experiments parallel controls were carried through This was done In two ways by pollinating ing lag companion flowers to the ones I under treatment and by keeping others both untreated and The pollinated flowers developed developed de de- de fruits or pods with seeds as was expected while the ones simply died and dropped of oft off Dr Gustafson sums up the results of his numerous experiments in two sentences The significance of these experiments seems to be that definite substances which are not specific cause the ovary of If a flower flower flower flow flow- er to develop Into the fruit These substances seem to be closely related related re re- re- re hated to the |
