Abstract:

The contents of endogenous hormones and nutrients were determined for the ovary of normal chestnut and empty-shell chestnut.the results showed that,the contents of endogenous GA₁₊₃,iPA_S and the ratio of (GA₁₊₃+iPA_S)/ABA in normal chestnut ovary showed as a “Double peaks” pattern,while the content of endogenous ABA in ovary tended to reversely change by a small range.In contrast,the endogenous hormone contents and their ratio in empty-shell chestnut ovary showed no obvious peak,the contents of endogenous GA₁₊₃iPA_s and the ratio of (GA₁₊₃+iPA_S)/ABA appeared a descending trend while the endogenous ABA content appeared an ascending trend during whole embryo developmental period.The contents of reducing sugar,starch,protein,amino acids,phosphorus and potassium in empty-shell chestnut ovary started to decline or maintained in a declining state on the 45th day after bloom(early-July),meanwhile,those in normal chestnut ovary tended to rise up or remained high level.It is suggested that the declines of endogenous GA₁₊₃,iPA_S contents and the ascending of endogenous ABA content lead to the low levels of reducing sugar,starch,protein,amino acids,phosphorus and potassium in ovary,which consequently cause an empty-shell formation.

Key words: Castanea mollissima Bl., Ovary, Endogenous hormone, Nutritient, Empty-shell chestnut