INCOMPATIBILITY IN WILD CORYLUS SPECIES

Fluorescence microscopy was used to study incompatibility in wild Corylus species.
Self-pollinations as well as intraspecific and interspecific crosses were made in the laboratory.
Clearly incompatible reactions were observed following nearly all self-pollinations, indicated by reduced pollen germination and pollen tubes that were short, usually “comma-shaped,” often terminating in pronounced bulbs, and failing to penetrate the stigma.
Both compatible and incompatible reactions were observed in intra- and inter-specific pollinations with some reciprocal differences.
Pollen-stigma interactions suggest that sporophytic incompatibility exists in wild Corylus species and that a large number of S-alleles is involved.
Several interspecific crosses were compatible yet failed to set nuts in the field, indicating the presence of other barriers in these combinations.
Controlled self-pollinations in the field gave low set in representatives of C. americana and C. sieboldiana, but one of four C. californica and two of three C. colurna selections set well.
The apparent self-compatibility of these selections deserves further investigation.

V International Congress on Hazelnut

V. Erdogan, S.A. Mehlenbacher

hazelnut, filbert, interspecific hybridization, fluorescence microscopy

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.556.22