However, the stigmas of the cultivars analyzed in the present study were receptive when there were still anthers facing inward, which enabled
autogamy.
This indicates that possibly
autogamy resulted in an advantage to the plant's reproductive success.
In the
autogamy treatments and their control, 100% of the flowers aborted, while in the xenogamy treatment, 78.
05): Tupataro 62%, Yuriria 57%, and Jeruco 54%, which suggests high
autogamy in these populations.
Autogamy may provide reproductive assurance, especially if it occurs without insect visitation (autonomous
autogamy).
These barriers prevent spontaneous contact between the two sexual parts of the flower, making
autogamy very unlikely, as described by Venturieri and Ribeiro Filho (1995) for cupuacu.
The reproductive system experiment included four pollination treatments:
autogamy (A), geitonogamy (G), xenogamy (X), and open control (O).
Significance difference between the percentages obtained from xenogamy,
autogamy and the control experiments were evaluated by comparison formula between two percentages, with a 5% significance difference level (PAGANO; GAUVREAU, 2004).
It is also important to consider that species with simplified morphologies are frequently r-strategists, with a quantitative investment in their offspring, usually without
autogamy barriers and easy germination, featuring coloniser species that rapidly establish themselves in a new environment.
Bush and Beach (1995) suggested that epiphytism generally favors
autogamy, as well as Madison (1979) who suggested that ant-garden dwelling epiphytes usually set self-seeds, which is probably true in some species of Aechmea (A.
sulcata,
autogamy was the dominant reproductive system.
This research also helped to identify unique traits including
autogamy and photoperiod insensitivity in birdsfoot trefoil, and made possible the release of enhanced germplasm of narrowleaf and big trefoil, salt-tolerant narrowleaf trefoil, and rhizomatous and drought tolerant birdsfoot trefoil.
