ISSN:
1573-5060
Keywords:
Pyrus
;
pear
;
Malus
;
apple
;
self-incompatibility
;
mentor/pioneer pollen
;
double pollination
;
mixed pollination
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Summary The production of self-seed was investigated in apple and pear with the aid of viable and compatible mentor/ pioneer pollen in relation to the proportion of self-imcompatible pollen present in the pollen cloud. Treatments consisted of mixtures of compatible and self-incompatible pollen at ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:9 applied once or twice or followed by self-pollination. Selfing only, whether once or twice, produced virtually no fruits or seeds, while mixed pollinations did. Generally, fruit set tended to decrease and the self-seed to increase with increasing amounts of self pollen in the pollinations. The pioncer-pollen method (compatible in advance of self pollen) appeared more effective than the mentor pollen method (compatible and self pollen mixed). The use of viable instead of dead mentor/pioneer pollen causes competition for the ovules with the self pollen, but has the advantage that, in addition to some self-seed, other seeds are formed which, e.g. in apple, are necessary to keep the fruits on the tree until harvest. Fruit set was moderately reduced at ratios of compatible pollen to self pollen not exceeding 1:9 with pear and 1:5 with apple which constitute maximal ratios in practice as regards pollinator trees: trees of the main cultivar. In fruit orchards and probably in nature with other species, the interaction between compatible and self pollen may result in more self-seed, and so suggests that inbreeding played a greater part in the evolution of self-incompatible species, than the meager results of articial self-pollination imply.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00021897
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