Reproductive Biology in Ziziphus mauritiana var Gola, and Controlled Hybridization Test with Senegalese Local Jujube

Reproductive biology of Ziziphus mauritiana var Gola: floral morpholgy, fluorochromatic procedure and hand pollination. Flowers are hermaphrodite and gathered in several types of inflorescence (clusters, fascicles or glomerules). They blossomed asynchronically exuding nectar and nectar is exuded by the flowers. Top ovary holds two ovules. The second approach consisting in fluorochromatic procedure reveals pollen with 3 apertures and a viability rate of 85%. This viability decrease down to 50% after a storage at +5?C for 2 days. Finally, the hand pollination proves that Ziziphus mauritiana var Gola is a partially auto-incompatible plant and the main vectors of pollination are Diptera (Calliphoridae), Coleoptera (Lycidae and Dermostidae) and Hymenopterae: Sceliphon spirifer (Splecidae), Belenogaster junecus (Vespidae) and Apismellifica (Apidae). We studied total period of different phenological phases (flowering days, blooming, fruit set, fruit setting) and the peak of each phenophase of Ziziphus mauritiana var Gola in Senegal. Flower morphology, pollen pistil interactions, viability of pollen, pollinators and controlled pollination were performed on gola varieties in order to study parameters for selection and variety improvement.