Abstract
This study investigated the usefulness of floral characters as a potential indicator of breeding system in the Brassicaceae. Initially, pod set, seed set and pollen tube growth experiments were carried out to confirm the breeding systems of 53 lines representing 25 different cultivated and weedy species from the Brassicaceae. The results of the pod set tests clearly differentiated between self-compatible and self-incompatible species. Floral characters were then evaluated on one or more lines of each of the 25 species. Fourteen floral characters were evaluated including, flower diameter, Cruden’s outcrossing index, timing and direction of dehiscence and pollen-ovule ratio. Significant differences between species were evident in all of the floral characteristics evaluated. Flower diameter was generally larger in self-incompatible species than self-compatible species and pollen/ovule ratio was generally higher in self-incompatible species than self-compatible species. However, none of the floral characteristics was able to clearly differentiate the self-compatible and self-incompatible species and allow prediction of the breeding system with absolute confidence. The floral characteristic which was most effective at differentiating the two groups was anther direction at dehiscence.
Highlights
The ability to predict breeding systems through evaluation of floral characteristics is beneficial to the plant breeder to enable effective crossing to be carried out and to maximise heterozygosity in outcrossing species and ensure effective maintenance of genetic stocks
The self-incompatible species had a maximum of 17% pod set, with most less than 10% and several with zero (Table 1)
The biggest difference occurred in Sinapis arvensis, where one population had 17% pod set, compared with zero for the other two
Summary
The ability to predict breeding systems through evaluation of floral characteristics is beneficial to the plant breeder to enable effective crossing to be carried out and to maximise heterozygosity in outcrossing species and ensure effective maintenance of genetic stocks. The Brassicaceae family includes many important crop species including edible oil crops, vegetable crops, fodder crops and industrial oil crops [1]. Studies of the Brassicaceae family have found a mixture of self-compatible and self-incompatible species [3,4,5,6,7,8]. Bateman [3] noted that flower size and nectary arrangement were major factors in determining the breeding system of the Brassicaceae, and suggested that self-.
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