Articles
Analysis of pollen viability in European hazelnut cultivars and in the wild type: preliminary data and perspectives
Article number
1379_17
Pages
113 – 120
Language
English
Abstract
Cultivation of the European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) has increasing economic importance as orchards are being planted in many countries.
Pollination plays a fundamental role in obtaining a good yield, but previous research has shown that some cultivars are characterized by a high degree of pollen sterility caused by a reciprocal chromosomal translocation.
Knowledge of pollen viability and phenology are essential for the identification of appropriate pollinizers.
Here we compare the pollen viability of three cultivars (Tonda Gentile delle Langhe, Barcelona, and Nocchione) and a wild type (WT) analyzed during the 2021-22 flowering season in Lazio region (Italy). Counts are based on the recognition of viable, sterile (anomalous) and non-viable pollen grains by an impedance flow cytometer (Amphasys) that enables rapid and label-free analysis.
Decreasing levels of pollen viability during the flowering season were accompanied by high and constant levels of sterile pollen in all three cultivars compared to the wild type, especially in Tonda Gentile delle Langhe and Nocchione, where the percentages of viable and sterile pollen had equalized at the end of the pollen shedding season.
The percentage of sterile pollen in the three cultivars was overall higher than that of the wild type in which it was always below 3%. Non-viable pollen in the WT showed an increased level at the end of the dispersal period.
Moreover, differences in the percentages of total pollen dispersal were also detected between the three cultivars in comparison with the wild type, highlighting cultivar-dependent values.
Phenology showed significant differences in the time and duration of pollen dispersal of the four genotypes.
Our results indicate that a high percentage of sterile pollen grains can occur in cultivars used also as pollinizers and pollen dispersal time and viability are highly variable and cultivar dependent.
Pollination plays a fundamental role in obtaining a good yield, but previous research has shown that some cultivars are characterized by a high degree of pollen sterility caused by a reciprocal chromosomal translocation.
Knowledge of pollen viability and phenology are essential for the identification of appropriate pollinizers.
Here we compare the pollen viability of three cultivars (Tonda Gentile delle Langhe, Barcelona, and Nocchione) and a wild type (WT) analyzed during the 2021-22 flowering season in Lazio region (Italy). Counts are based on the recognition of viable, sterile (anomalous) and non-viable pollen grains by an impedance flow cytometer (Amphasys) that enables rapid and label-free analysis.
Decreasing levels of pollen viability during the flowering season were accompanied by high and constant levels of sterile pollen in all three cultivars compared to the wild type, especially in Tonda Gentile delle Langhe and Nocchione, where the percentages of viable and sterile pollen had equalized at the end of the pollen shedding season.
The percentage of sterile pollen in the three cultivars was overall higher than that of the wild type in which it was always below 3%. Non-viable pollen in the WT showed an increased level at the end of the dispersal period.
Moreover, differences in the percentages of total pollen dispersal were also detected between the three cultivars in comparison with the wild type, highlighting cultivar-dependent values.
Phenology showed significant differences in the time and duration of pollen dispersal of the four genotypes.
Our results indicate that a high percentage of sterile pollen grains can occur in cultivars used also as pollinizers and pollen dispersal time and viability are highly variable and cultivar dependent.
Publication
Authors
C. Brandoli, E. Sgarbi, V. Cristofori, M. Politi, C. Todeschini, N. Valentini, E. Pagani, F. Bevilacqua, C. Siniscalco
Keywords
Corylus avellana L., pollen viability, sterile pollen, pollen dispersal, reciprocal chromosome translocation
Groups involved
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