POLLEN TUBE GROWTH AND FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS IN SELF-COMPATIBLE ALMOND CULTIVARS DEPENDING ON SELF- OR CROSS-POLLINATION

Pollen tube growth was observed in flowers of five self-compatible almond cultivars (‘Constantí’, ‘Francolí’, ‘Guara’, ‘Marinada’, and ‘Vairo’) after self-pollination and cross-pollination in the laboratory.
Flowers were observed 12h, 24h, 36h, 60h, 72h, 84h, and 96 hours after pollination.
Pollen tube reached the ovary between 60 and 72h after pollination in all crosses.
For ‘Constantí’, ‘Francolí’, and ‘Marinada’, the average length of the pollen tubes inside the pistil 96h after pollination was greater in cross-pollinated flowers than in self-pollinated flowers.
For ‘Guara’, the result was the opposite and ‘Vairo’ did not show big differences.
The same crosses were repeated in the field.
At harvest time, the weight, length, width, and thickness of nuts and kernels from each cross were determined.
In general, no significant differences were found in fruit set and fruit characteristics between self- and cross-pollinated trees.
Among the few significant differences found in some characters, there was no consistent type of pollination (self- or cross-) favoured.

V International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds

I. Martín, M. Rovira, F.J. Vargas

almond, fruit characters, fruit set, pollen tube, self-pollination

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.912.16