A MODEL TO PREDICT SEED NUMBER PER POD FROM EARLY POD GROWTH-RATE IN PEA (PISUM-SATIVUM L)

Seed number per pod in pea is variable. After fertilization, any numbe r of ovules may abort in the pod. This paper describes an analysis of the relationship between pod growth and seed abortion rate. Pod dry we ight was highly correlated to pod length before the final stage in see d abortion. By measuring pod length during the period of seed formatio n and counting the seeds in the same pods at the end of this period, w e show that seed number per pod was correlated with early pod elongati on. From these data we propose and test a model for predicting seed nu mber per pod from early pod elongation rates.