Physiological Breakdown in Stored Monarch Plums

Summary

Several pollination studies carried out on different, self-incompatible almond cultivars and seedlings have shown the presence of variable levels of fruit set following self-pollination that could be attributed to partial self-incompatibility (PSI). PSI is an intermediate reproductive behaviour, described in some angiosperm species, which indicates that self-incompatibility is a quantitative and plastic trait. The present study was performed to substantiate the occurrence of PSI in almond by studying ten cultivars that are traditionally considered to be self-incompatible (four of which had previously shown fruit set after self-pollination). These cultivars were analysed by microscopic observations of the progression of pollen tubes through the pistil following controlled self-pollination, determinations of fruit set after bagging flower buds, and molecular identification of the parentage of the fruits obtained using consensus PCR-primers for Prunus S-RNase alleles. The results showed that, in nearly all cases, the pollen tubes did not enter the ovary and, from a total of 5,349 bagged flower buds, only 17 fruits were obtained. In all cases, PCR analysis of the plants obtained after germination of these seeds showed a band corresponding to an S-RNase allele not present in the maternal progenitor, clearly indicating that they could only have arisen from cross-pollination.Therefore, the low fruit set values observed in some of the cultivars studied were not due to a breakdown in the self-incompatibility response that confers PSI, but to very low rates of contamination with foreign pollen. These results corroborate the self-incompatibility phenotype of the cultivars studied here, and highlight the importance of ascertaining the identity of the parentage in any progeny obtained after bagging.     

Studies on the Nutrition of Tulips and Narcissi

Summary

We explored the effects of pollination method (hand cross-, hand self-, automatic self-, and open-pollination) and pollen source on fruit set and growth in four red-skinned pitaya (Hylocereus spp.) cultivars [‘Vietnam White’ (‘VNWhite’), ‘Chaozhou 5’, ‘Orejona’, and ‘F11’] in Taiwan.‘VN-White’ has white flesh, while the other three cultivars have red flesh. There were no significant differences in pollen viability or germination rate among the four cultivars, irrespective of whether the pollen was collected at night (approx. 20.30 h) or on the following morning (approx. 08.30 h).The results also indicated that ‘VN White’ was fully self-compatible and exhibited a high fruit set percentage (80 - 96%) following all pollination treatments. This cultivar produced the largest fruit from both hand self- and openpollination, compared to the three other cultivars tested. ‘Chaozhou 5’ was partly self-compatible, and ‘Orejona’ and ‘F11’ were completely self-incompatible. Hand cross-pollination significantly increased the fruit set percentages and mean fruit fresh weights (FWs) in ‘Chaozhou 5’ and ‘Orejona’. Pollen source also significantly affected the fruit set percentage and fruit FW. ‘VN-White’ (after self-pollination) and ‘Chaozou 5’ (after crossing with ‘VN-White’) gave superior fruit set percentages and fruit FWs. Reciprocal crosses between ‘Orejona’ and ‘F11’ also resulted in high fruit set percentages as well as large fruit in both cultivars. Therefore, the source of pollen and the method of pollination can affect fruit production in some cultivars of pitaya. Self-compatibility in ‘VN-White’ concurs with the morphology of its flowers in which the anthers lie in close proximity to the stigma.The distance between the anthers and the stigma may be used an indicator of whether hand pollination is necessary for a pitaya cultivar.     

Fruit set evaluation for self-compatibility selection in almond

Self-compatibility was assessed in 19 almond selections by genetic and physiological means, such as PCR with specific primers for the S_f allele, pollen tube growth, and fruit set after self-pollination and in bagged branches. Although all genotypes possessed the S_f allele and showed a similar pollen tube growth after self-pollination than after cross-pollination with cross-compatible pollen, fruit sets showed a different behaviour between years, ranging from 16.2 to 24.7%, as well as between treatments, with the highest after self-pollination. The differences between genotypes could be due to the genetic constitution of each genotype, where inbreeding may reduce set by the accumulation of deleterious genes in different members of a progeny. Flower morphology may also affect sets in bagged branches. Thus, in addition to bud density, flower sterility, pollination success and environmental conditions, other traits must be taken into account when evaluating yield in self-compatible almond cultivars, such as the inbreeding effect and the effective autonomous self-pollination.     

中熟蟠桃新品种‘瑞蟠22号’

 ‘瑞蟠22号’系‘幻想’ ב瑞蟠4号’杂交育成的中熟蟠桃新品种。该品种果实发育期为112 d, 平均单果质量182 g。果实扁平形, 白肉, 硬溶质, 味甜, 粘核。     

Study on Fruitset and Pollen-Compatibility Status in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avuim L.) Cultivars

Prunus avium L. is one of the most important temperate zone fruits in the world. Most of the cherry cultivars always have difficulties of fertilization and fruit set due to self-incompatibility, so they need suitable and compatible pollinizers for commercial fruit production. In this experiment, pollination compatibility of cherry cultivars of ‘Napoleon’, ‘Burlat’, ‘Zhan’, and ‘Lambert’ was studied as both pollen recipients and donors. To determine the compatibility or incompatibility of pollinizers, percent of fruit set was calculated. This research was carried out as a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design. The final average fruit set in studied cultivars was different under self or cross-pollination. The results showed that ‘Napoleon’, ‘Zhan’ and ‘Lambert’ cultivars are the suitable pollinizers for ‘Burlat’. Also, ‘Burlat’ is a cultivar which produced many fruits under self-pollination. Therefore, ‘Burlat’ can be used as monoculture for orchard establishment. Results showed that cultivar ‘Napoleon’ was cross-incompatible with ‘Lambert’. ‘Zhan’, ‘Napoleon’ and ‘Lambert’ cultivars are founded self-incompatible and require cross-pollinations to obtain fruits.

     

早熟杏新品种‘立园’

‘立园’杏是通过杂交选育出的早熟新品种，母本为‘金太阳’，父本为‘红荷包’。果实椭圆形，平均单果质量61.2 g，底色为黄色，果肉橙黄，酸甜可口，可溶性固形物含量12.6%；离核，核仁苦。果实成熟期早，在山东泰安5月下旬成熟，发育期约62 d，产量27 069.5 kg • hm-2。     

中熟油桃新品种‘瑞光美玉’

 ‘瑞光美玉’系‘京玉’ב瑞光7号’杂交育成的中熟油桃新品种。该品种果实发育期为98 d,平均单果质量187 g。果实近圆形,白肉,硬肉,味甜,离核。     

极晚熟蟠桃新品种‘瑞蟠20号’

 ‘瑞蟠20号’蟠桃是‘幻想’（Fantasia）ב瑞蟠4号’杂交育成的晚熟新品种。花蔷薇型,有花粉。果实扁平形,平均单果质量254.7 g,最大350 g;果肉黄白色,硬溶质,风味甜,可溶性固形物含量13.1%。离核。丰产。果实发育期160 d。     

极晚熟蟠桃新品种‘瑞蟠21号’

 ‘瑞蟠21号’系‘幻想’ב瑞蟠4号’杂交育成的极晚熟蟠桃新品种。该品种果实发育期为166 d，平均单果质量236 g。果实扁平形，白肉，硬溶质，味甜，粘核。     

晚熟油桃新品种‘瑞光39号’

 ‘瑞光39号’系‘华玉’ב顶香’杂交育成的晚熟油桃新品种。花蔷薇形,有花粉。果实近圆形,平均单果质量202 g,大果284 g;果面近全红;果肉白色,硬溶质,风味浓甜,可溶性固形物含量13%;粘核。果实发育期为132 d。丰产。     

中国原产果梅自交亲和变异品种花粉决定基因SFB的插入突变

 果梅是配子体自交不亲和树种,但在长期进化过程中也出现了自交亲和品种。以果梅典型的自交不亲和品种‘南高’和自交亲和品种‘甲州小梅’为对照,采用田间自交授粉试验对原产于中国的‘四川白梅’和‘长农17’两个果梅品种进行了自交亲和性鉴定,结果表明：其自花授粉坐果率分别为30.73%和16.27%,属于自交亲和品种。进一步通过AS-PCR分析发现花粉SFB基因存在一段插入序列,造成了分子水平的基因突变。推测该基因的突变使‘四川白梅’和‘长农17’SFB功能发生改变,从而自交亲和。     

Influence of almond × peach hybrids rootstocks on flower and leaf mineral concentration,yield and vigour of two peach cultivars

Flower and foliar nutrient content of ‘Queen Giant’ and ‘Tebana’ peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] on six almond × peach hybrids rootstocks (‘Adafuel’, ‘Adarcias’, ‘GF 677’, ‘Cadaman’, ‘Garnem’ and ‘Felinem’) were determined during one season. The mineral elements analysed were: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Na and Cu. Leaf N concentration in ‘Queen Giant’ was the highest on ‘Cadaman’ and ‘GF 677’ and the lowest on ‘Adarcias’. The P, Fe and Zn concentrations in flowers and leaves were significantly correlated. The leaf chlorophyll concentration at 120 DAFB was positively correlated with Fe floral concentration and with K, Zn and Na leaf concentration, in ‘Queen Giant’, and with K and Mn leaf concentration, in ‘Tebana’. In ‘Queen Giant’, the greatest trunk cross-sectional area was exhibited with ‘Felinem’ and ‘Garnem’ and the lowest with ‘Adarcias’. In contrast, the greater yield efficiency was found on ‘Adarcias’. In ‘Queen Giant’, a negative correlation was found between yield efficiency and Ca in leaves and in flowers. A positive correlation was observed between tree vigour and flower Fe, flower Ca and leaf Ca concentration. Correlation was also found between yield efficiency and Mg in ‘Tebana’ flowers. In ‘Queen Giant’, ‘Felinem’ rootstock showed the weakest balanced nutritional values (ΣDOP index) compared with other rootstocks.     

矮化核桃新品种‘岱香’

 采用人工杂交技术选育的矮化核桃新品种‘岱香’, 树冠紧凑, 枝条粗壮, 节间短; 坚果中大型, 壳薄光滑, 外形美观; 核仁香而不涩, 营养丰富, 优质, 丰产, 适宜于肥沃土壤密植栽培。     

甜樱桃SFB4与SFB4’基因的鉴别

 本研究以最近发现的李属花粉决定子候选基因“S 单元型特异F-box蛋白基因(SFB ) ”为基础, 根据甜樱桃SFB 4基因设计引物, 从自交不亲和‘雷尼’和‘佳红’以及自交亲和的‘斯坦拉’总DNA中分别扩增出SFB 4和SFB 4’基因的部分序列。经测序结果发现: SFB 4’基因比SFB 4基因缺失了4个碱基TAAA。根据这个缺失差异, 设计了一对引物BFP200和BFP201, 这对引物只能扩增SFB 4’基因,而不能扩增SFB 4基因, 从而利用SFB 基因区分开了甜樱桃自交不亲和的S4和自交亲和的S4’单元型。     

Influence of self-pollination in fruit quality of autogamous almonds

Due to the several advantages expected from growing self-compatible almond cultivars, breeding programmes have recently introduced self-compatibility as an important trait. However, doubts have arisen regarding the capability of the newly obtained self-compatible almonds to produce good yields in monovarietal plantations, and the commercial quality of the fruits from self-pollination. For this reason, in the last years several studies have been conducted to evaluate fruit set and fruit traits following self- and cross-pollination of self-compatible almonds. Their results showed inconsistencies for fruit set and for some of the fruit traits studied. Thus, while some studies showed no differences between both pollination types for any of the fruit traits, others clearly showed important differences with the detriment of self-pollination for commercially important fruit traits. The fact that some of these studies evaluated a low number of individuals and/or fruit traits, implies the need of a more complete study. In this work, 10 fruit traits were studied in 26 self-compatible almonds following self-pollination by bagging and open pollination treatments. In general, and despite a few individuals showed differences between both pollination types for two of the traits, the results showed no influence of self-pollination in fruit quality.     

Self- and cross-(in)compatibility between important apricot cultivars in northwest Iran

Summary

Knowledge of the self-(in)compatibility trait in commercial apricot cultivars is of great importance for breeders and growers. Five commercial apricot cultivars, widely grown in Iran, were self- and cross-pollinated to determine their pollen and stylar compatibility. Fruit-set in the orchard and pollen tube growth in pistils, from flowers pollinated in the laboratory, were evaluated. In addition, specific primers previously designed to amplify fragments of the S alleles responsible for the incompatibility trait, were used to amplify DNA extracted from the five cultivars.All results agreed and confirmed that three out of the five cultivars studied were self-incompatible, two of which were cross-incompatible and therefore had the same genotype. The cultivars, ‘Ghorban-e-Marageh’ and ‘Ghermez-e-Shahroodi’ were self-compatible and, interestingly, shared a PCR band with all Spanish self-compatible apricot cultivars examined to date.     

核桃新品种 ‘元林’

 ‘元林’是以中国核桃‘元丰’为母本,美国核桃‘强特勒’为父本杂交育成的核桃新品种,坚果单果质量16.84 g,出仁率55.42%,脂肪含量63.6%,蛋白质含量18.25%,早实、丰产,连续结果能力强。萌芽晚,可避开早春晚霜危害。     

The rootstock effects on plant adaptability,production, fruit quality,and nutrition in the peach (cv. ‘Suncrest’)

In clayey and calcareous soils without a stable irrigation and fertilization system, the type of rootstock can particularly affect both the vegetative and productive properties of ‘Suncrest’ peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) plants, and the qualitative and nutritional attributes of their fruit. The GF677 rootstock (P. persica × Prunus amygdalus) promoted the highest vegetative development, followed by Julior (Prunus insistitia). The ‘Suncrest’ on Ishtara [(Prunus cerasifera × P. persica) × (P. cerasifera × Prunus salicina)] and Barrier1 (P. persica × Prunus davidiana) had lower, but similar, plant vigour, but the latter rootstock differed in its higher production of pruned wood. The lowest adaptability to these cultivation conditions was observed for ‘Suncrest’ grafted onto Citation (P. persica × P. salicina), which showed the lowest plant development and production. For the plant yield, the ‘Suncrest’ grafted onto GF677, Julior, Ishtara, and Barrier1 were all similar. The fruit yield and both the canopy volume and pruned wood of ‘Suncrest’ grafted onto Ishtara showed a particular relationship, giving the best indices of yield efficiency and plant physiological equilibrium. Moreover, the same rootstock promoted the largest fruit size, while the smallest fruit were found on GF677 rootstock. The fruit from the Citation ‘Suncrest’ ripened 3 days early, while those from Barrier1 had a late fruit ripening. Firmness, soluble solids and the soluble solids to total acidity ratio were only affected slightly by the different rootstocks, while the total acidity of the fruit varied significantly according to rootstock; the fruit from ‘Suncrest’ grafted onto Barrier1, Julior, and Citation had the highest total acidities. The rootstock effects on the nutritional attributes of the fruit were relevant. The ‘Suncrest’ on Julior and GF677, followed by Ishtara, produced fruit with the greatest antioxidant activities and total phenolic contents. The ‘Suncrest’ on Citation and, especially, Barrier1 had reduced nutritional values of the fruit. The variations in antioxidant activities and total phenolic contents showed a positive correlation.