Selfing rates in two wild polyploid solanums

The rate of selfing in the wild, tuber-bearing speciesS. gourlayi Hawkes (2n = 4x = 48) andS. oplocense Hawkes (2n = 6x = 72) was estimated from progeny of plants nulliplex for the “parallel spindles (ps) allele. The estimated values for plants grown in experimental plots were 22% forS. gourlayi and 1% forS. oplocense. The quantitative method used appears to be a simple and efficient way to calculate selfing rates in polyploids. Knowledge of selfing rates is useful for basic population genetic studies and for plant breeding and seed production of economic crops. There is a need for genetic markers inSolanum species if selfing rates are to be taken into consideration for the selection of an appropriate breeding method for the production of true potato seed.