PHENOLOGY, BREEDING SYSTEM AND FRUIT-DEVELOPMENT OF ARGAN (ARGANIA-SPINOSA, SAPOTACEAE] CULTIVATED IN ISRAEL

Argan (Argania spinosa) is art evergreen tree native to southwestern M orocco appreciated for its edible, high nutritional oil, extracted fro m the kernels of the drupe-like fruit. Aspects of its reproductive bio logy were studied with the aim to domesticate rite tree as an oil crop . Flowering of fertigated trees cultivated in the Negev Highlands of I srael was confined to the spring months. The flowers were protogynous. Results of different pollination treatments showed that a pollen vect or was necessary for pollination and that fruit set was significantly higher iii cross and open pollination (7-9%) than in self pollination (0.5%). The lower fruit set obtained bl self pollination was related t o postzygotic discrimination. Pollen transfer by wind was restricted t o short distances. Flies, mainly of the family Calliphoridae, visited the flowers and were found to be covered with argan pollen. Fruits rip ened nine months after anthesis, exhibiting bisigmoidal growth curve.