Re: HYB: air pod question

Neil,

Not to imply that I know why "balloon pods" form, nor really anything about
them for that matter.  However, I suspect that if pollination proceeds and
triggers pod development, and if the seeds abort right at the start, it
would be very difficult to see anything of them in the fruit, there might
not be any more to them than would be present if they were unfertilized
ovules.  They would have to grow at least some to leave any significant
remains.  On the other hand, I've never had a pod with aborted seeds
develop to its full size; they typically dry up and fall off long before
they reach maturity.  This brings us back to perhaps growing conditions,
internal growth regulators etc.  However, just my bias (not based on proven
fact), I would doubt that a pod would form without the stimulation created
by the growth of pollen tubes into the ovary, whether seeds start to form
or not.

Interestingly, I've never seen one of these "air pods / balloon pods".  My
pods always have seeds in them, even the deformed stunted ones.  The seeds
aren't always good, sometimes they were aborted early, but they are always
there.  For me, no seeds means no pods.  It's dry and very sunny here (dry
air, dry soil, I think maybe even dry water!) with wide daily temperature
fluctuations, and my soil is a mineral gravelly granite clay or a mineral
sandy loam (depending on location).  It is very low in nitrogen, and
organic material is barely present at all.  So, this may affect formation
of pods (it certainly affects growth, bloom size and height, color,
pollination, etc.).

Dave

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