Flower development and pollen vitality of moringa oleifera lam. Grown in a humid temperate climatic condition

Moringa oleifera, una specie tropicale, ha richiamato l'interesse di ricercatori e coltivatori di zone con clima temeprato. Obbiettivo del lavoro è stato quello di studiare l'effetto del clima in due ambienti argentini sulla biologia fiorale della pinata in termini morfologici e fisiologici . La fertilità dei granuli pollinici è stata influenzata negativamente da temeprature inferiori a 16 °C. Moringa oleifera, a tropical tree specis, has acquired a great importance in human nutrition and moringa plants have been introduced in humid temperate climatic areas. The main objective of this research was to study flower morphology and anatomy of M. oleifera, as well as microsporogenesis and viability of pollen grains of plants cultivated in both a temeprate and a humid sub-tropical climatic area of Argentina. Pollen grain fertility depended directly on air temperature and it was negatively affected by the lower temperatures registered in the temperate site. According to the observed results, pollen viability increases with mean monthly temperatures above 16°C.