Histological observations of the ovaries of the abscised reproductive structures (at anthesis) in the dwarf pigeonpea cultivars (UWlO, UW17 and UW26) showed a high incidence of unfertilized ovules (76-90 per cent. In the ovaries of the excised immature pods (post-anthesis) of the above cultivars, a comparatively low proportion of unfertilized ovules (14-17 per cent) was observed. A slightly higher proportion of unfertilized ovules (26-33 per cent) was observed in mature pods of the three cultivars, Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences in the number of unfertilized ovules among the cultivars studied in the abscised, excised, and mature reproductive structures of pigeonpea. These results suggest that, in pigeonpea, there is no critical number of ovules which need to be fertilized in order for successful pod-set to occur.