Genetic analysis of four self-incompatible lines in Brassica napus

Reciprocal hybridization between four self-incompatible lines of Brassica napus: 271, 181, 184 and ‘White Flower’, revealed incompatibility. The reciprocal F₁s obtained by bud pollination showed self-incompatible reactions, and no segregation for self-incompatibility was observed in all the reciprocal F₂ populations, indicating that lines 271, 181, 184 and ‘White Flower’ were genetically identical with regard to self-incompatibility. Observations of self-incompatibility in 17 hybrids from crosses between line 271 and 17 varieties of B. napus showed 10 of the F₁ hybrids to be self-compatible, while four were partially self-compatible and three were self-incompatible. Genetic analysis based on F₂ and BC₁ populations from five self-compatible F₁ hybrids and two self-incompatible F₁ hybrids suggested the existence of at least two loci controlling the self-incompatibility of line 271: one is the S locus, with dominant and recessive relationships between the S alleles, and the other is the suppressor (sp) of the S locus. The sp locus is genetically different from the S locus, and also shows dominant and recessive relationships between the sp alleles.