Controlling for genetic identity of varieties, pollen contamination and stigma receptivity is essential to characterize the self‐incompatibility system of Olea europaea L

• Published in: Evolutionary applications Vol. 10; no. 9; pp. 860 - 866
• Main Authors: Saumitou‐Laprade, Pierre, Vernet, Philippe, Vekemans, Xavier, Castric, Vincent, Barcaccia, Gianni, Khadari, Bouchaïb, Baldoni, Luciana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell 01.10.2017; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: diallelic self‐incompatibility system; Genetics; Life Sciences; Olea europaea L; Oleaceae; paternity analysis; plant mating systems; Plants genetics; symmetry in reciprocal crosses; Olea europaea L; paternity analysis; diallelic self‐incompatibility system; symmetry in reciprocal crosses; Oleaceae; plant mating systems; Diallelic self-incompatibility system; Paternity analysis; Plant mating systems; Symmetry in reciprocal crosses
• ISSN: 1752-4571; 1752-4563; 1752-4571
• DOI: 10.1111/eva.12498

Bervillé et al. express concern about the existence of the diallelic self‐incompatibility (DSI) system in Olea europaea, mainly because our model does not account for results from previous studies from their group that claimed to have documented asymmetry of the incompatibility response in reciprocal crosses. In this answer to their comment, we present original results based on reciprocal stigma tests that contradict conclusions from these studies. We show that, in our hands, not a single case of asymmetry was confirmed, endorsing that symmetry of incompatibility reactions seems to be the rule in Olive. We discuss three important aspects that were not taken into account in the studies cited in their comments and that can explain the discrepancy: (i) the vast uncertainty around the actual genetic identity of vernacular varieties, (ii) the risk of massive contamination associated with the pollination protocols that they used and (iii) the importance of checking for stigma receptivity in controlled crosses. These studies were thus poorly genetically controlled, and we stand by our original conclusion that Olive tree exhibits DSI.