Heterostyly: A Threat to Potential Fruit Yield in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Heterostyly is a common phenomenon which influences and hinders the yieldingpotential of brinjal. The study clearly indicated that 80% of the fruits set by long styled flowers whereas 30% of the fruits set by medium styled flowers and no fruit by short styled flowers. The mean number of flowers produced in the hybrid MAHY-9 was 53.58±5.88 out of which 23.29±3.7 flowers were long styled, 1.25±1.45 flowers were medium styled, and 29.04±7.39 flowers were short styled. Long styled flowers constituted 43.97% of flowers, 2.54% medium styled and 53.47% were short styled flowers and mean percent fruit set was 33.09±10.59. Whereas in the hybrid MAHY-11 mean number of flowers produced was 97.58±25.12 out of which 76.19±4.85 flowers were long styled, 23.80±4.85 flowers were mediumstyled and 0.25±0.53 flowers were short styled. Long styled flowers constituted 76.19% of flowers, 23.80% medium styled and 0.24% were short styled flowers and mean percent fruit set was 60.42±11.28. The reduction in the yield of the hybrid MAHY-9 was due to the presence of more number of short styled flowers compared to the hybrid MAHY-11 so growing of hybrid MAHY-9 is not economical to the farmers. Flower visitors such as species of Xylocopa and Apis are important in realizing higher yields in brinjal.