Temperature effects on male fertility and flower and fruit development in Capsicum annuum L.

Temperature conditions strongly influenced the development of flowers and fruits of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants. Low temperatures (LTR; 18°C day/15°C night) had much more effect on flowers and fruits than intermediate (ITR; 23°C day/18°C night) or high (HTR; 28°C day/23°C night) temperatures. LTR caused the formation of abnormal petals, stamens and gynoecium in the flowers. Stamens produced were deformed, in some cases partly carpel-like, produced abnormal non-viable pollen, and were thus functionally male-sterile. In the gynoecium, the ovary size of LTR-grown flowers was larger than that of ITR and HTR flowers, but the style elongation was inhibited. Fruits produced under HTR were larger than ITR and were seeded under both temperature regimes. Under LTR, small seedless fruits were produced, but normal seeded fruits were formed if flowers were pollinated with pollen from ITR- or HTR-grown flowers.