Comparison of homozygous and heterozygous self-compatible seedlings in an almond breeding programme

Abstract

Homozygous self-compatible almond cultivars have not been reported. It is unclear if they are more inferior than heterozygotes or simply have not yet been detected. To investigate if homozygous individual are generally inferior, the self-compatibility genotype, homozygous or heterozygous, was determined by stylar ribonuclease assay in a population of 241 almond trees obtained by self-fertilisation of self-compatible selections. The resulting zymograms showed that 129 of the seedlings were homozygous and 112 heterozygous. For three years the differences observed between these two classes of self-compatible individuals were analysed with respect to 16 agronomic characteristics. In general, there were no important differences between the two classes. Both showed a low degree of productivity, probably as a result of their inbred origin. Some selected homozygous individuals were used in crosses, which were planned so as to ensure the self-compatibility of 100% of the descendants and to eliminate the laborious task of testing the seedlings for self-compatibility.