Abstract Plants of Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Red Kidney’ were studied under controlled environmental conditions to determine the effect of prefertilization events on seed and pod set. These were analyzed on flowers of the terminal receme at anthesis and 7 days postanthesis. Microscopic examination of pollen indicted that less than 7 % of the grains were aborted and that a sufficient number of grains germinated on the stigma to ensure fertilization of all ovules within an ovary. All ovules observed were fertilized; the number of ovules per ovary was 4 or 5. Results indicate that the discrepancy between the number of ovules and the final seed number per pod is due to seed abortion rather than to ovule abortion. Pod abortion appears to be a consequence of postfertilization processes.