Rylski, I., Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Nothmann, J., Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Arcan, L., Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

The fertility of the androecium and the gynoecium of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) was examined in order to clarify the reasons for the lack of fruit set of the short-styled flowers. The androecium of short-styled flowers proved to be fertile. Examinations of the gynoecium showed that the stigma on a short style differs from that on a long style in its smaller size, under-developed papillae and lower sugar content. No penetration of pollen tubes into the style was detected, nor was there a start of germination of pollen grains on the stigma of a short style. This lack of fertility of the short-styled flowers in the gynoecium prevents fruit set during the warm growing-season, when fertilization is obligatory for fruit set and development. © 1984.