Barriers to interspecific hybridization in Ulmus americana

Summary Crossability barriers between the tetraploid Ulmus americana and five other diploid elm species were investigated using both fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. Both pollen germination and pollen tube development were inhibited in all interspecific crosses. Pollen tube behavior on the stigma of U. americana was unchanged when pollen of a colchicine-induced U. pumila tetraploid was substituted for diploid U. pumila pollen.Self-incompatibility was observed in one of two American elms studied and manifested itself via reduced pollen germination and inhibited pollen tube growth on the stigma surface.The results indicate that crossing barrier(s) between U. americana and other elm species occur at the stigma surface and operate independently of ploidy level. This conclusion is discussed in relation to current breeding efforts to transfer Dutch elm disease resistance into the American elm via interspecific hybridization with Eurasian elms.