Expression of S-locus inhibitor gene (Sli) in various diploid potatoes

Summary S-locus inhibitor gene (Sli), which can inhibit gametophytic self-incompatibility in diploid potatoes and alter self-incompatible to self-compatible plants, was introduced by crossing into 32 diploid genotypes as females and its expression in the F₁ and S₁ progenies was investigated. We found that the expression of self-compatibility in the F₁ hybrid progeny depended largely upon the female genotypes and partly upon the male genotypes (=Sli gene donor clones). Successful females produced hybrid plants, in which 67.1% of self-pollinated plants set S₁ seeds. By second selfing upon the S₁ plants, an average of 44.2% of self-pollinated plants were self-compatible. Unsuccessful females produced hybrids, most of which were self-incompatible or male-sterile. Restriction fragment patterns of chloroplast DNA (ctDNA) were able to distinguish successful females (S- or A-type ctDNA) from unsuccessful females (W- or T-type ctDNA). A ctDNA high-resolution marker analysis using seven microsatellites and H3 marker supported a higher degree of differentiation between the two groups of ctDNA types and implied a possible interaction between the cytoplasm and Sli gene function. However, it has been known that the cytoplasm having T-type ctDNA and that derived from Solanum demissum (haplotype 26 of W-type ctDNA) cause male sterility, and the present case with unsuccessful females were likely caused by male sterility rather than the failure of Sli gene function.