My research program focuses on reproductive biology of tree-crop species, including flower differentiation, the phase from pollination to fertilization, and the onset or fruiting. My major goal is to elucidate basic biological factors that impact on current questions and problems in fruit production and cultivar improvement. My investigations emphasize the application of cytological, histochemical, physiological and morphological methods to explore critical events in the reproductive cycle including: flower initiation and development, reserves metabolism and flower development, pollen behaviour, pollination requirements, pollen-pistil interaction, cellular responses to environmental stresses, ovule viability, and the factors involved in fruit set and fruit development.
