Identifying Pollen Incompatibility Groups in California Almond Cultivars

• Published in: Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science Vol. 119; no. 1; pp. 106 - 109
• Main Authors: Kester, D.E, Gradziel, T.M, Micke, W.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Society for Horticultural Science 01.01.1994
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Heterosis. Floral biology applications: apomixy, male sterility, incompatibility, varia; Plant breeding: fundamental aspects and methodology; Incompatibility; Hybrid variety; Prunus dulcis; Rosaceae; Identification; Fruit crop; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Genetic improvement; Spermatophyta; Pollen; Fruit tree; Cultivar
• ISSN: 0003-1062; 2327-9788
• DOI: 10.21273/jashs.119.1.106

Six cross-incompatibility groups, which contain most of commercially important California almond cultivars [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb, syn. Prunus amygdalus Batch], and their self-incompatibility (S) allele genotypes are identified. Incompatibility groups include `Mission' (S a S b ), `Nonpareil' (S c S d ), and the four groups resulting from the `Mission' × `Nonpareil' cross: (S a S c ), (S a S d ), (S b S c ), and (S b S d ), as represented by `Thompson', `Carmel', `Merced' and `Monterey', respectively. All seedlings from the `Mission' × `Nonpareil' cross were compatible with both parents, a result indicating that these two cultivars have no alleles in common. Crossing studies support a full-sib relationship for these progeny groups and the origin of both parents from common germplasm. Cultivars in these six groups account for ≈ 93% of present California production, a result demonstrating a limited genetic base for this vegetatively propagated tree crop.