Physiological Aspects of Flowering, Fruit Setting, Fruit Development and Fruit Drop, Regulation and their Manipulation: A Review

The physiology of flowering and fruit setting involves the changes in the characters of cells proliferating in the meristematic tissues of the shoot owing to the specific gene action and change in the phyto-hormones level. Flower formation is a transition phase in the life cycle of a plant. The alteration of vegetative apex into reproductive structure results in flowering initiation. The reduction of shoot meristem starts development of sepals, petals, stamens, carpals instead of leaves. The plant must attain specific state of ‘ripeness to response’ before it flowers. Once the stage is reached, then it can induce to flower. The flowering is closely linked to the diverse environmental conditions in which each species has evolved. The effects of the large number of factors that influence the proportion of buds giving rise to flowers have generally been interpreted in terms of an inbuilt propensity to flowering and interference with attainment of this.