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Abstract
Fruit and seed development of seven jojoba [Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C. Schneid.] clones were monitored over two seasons. Pollination occurred in late February and early March. However, most of the seed dry matter and wax accumulated after 15 June in both years. Fruit weight rapidly increased during May, followed by a leveling off in June and a 70% drop in weight in July as fruit matured and water was lost. While all seven clones exhibited similar fruit and seed developmental patterns, there were large differences between clones in the actual values observed over the two seasons. Differences in final seed weight between clones were due to differences in both rate and length of time of filling.
Postharvest longevity of some cut flowers is shortened by exposure to ethylene gas. Adverse effects of ethylene may be prevented by treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) gas. Responses of 14 different native Australian cut flowers to 1-MCP and ethylene applied at concentrations of 10 nL·L-1 and 10 μL·L-1, respectively, were examined. Each gas was applied alone for 12 hours at 20 °C and they were also applied in series. Vase lives of Ceratopetalum gummiferum, Chamelaucium uncinatum, Grevillea `Kay Williams' and `Misty Pink', Leptospermum petersonii, Telopea `Shady Lady', and Verticordia nitens were reduced by ethylene treatment. Treatment with 1-MCP generally protected these cut flowers against subsequent exposure to ethylene. The 1-MCP treatment usually did not extend their vase lives in the absence of exogenous ethylene.