Pollen-style compatibility relations in natural populations of the wild diploid potato species Solanum spegazzinii Bitt.

Abstract

Solanum spegazzinii Bitt., a wild diploid potato species endemic to Argentina, possesses resistance to adverse biotic and abiotic agents. Northwestern Argentinean populations grouped according to their morphological variability (G1 = localities East of the Calchaqui Valley, G2 = Calchaqui Valley and G3 = locality Belen) presented problems in seed set following controlled crosses. Thus, to evaluate if the morphological variability previously reported was sustained on a genetic basis, three introductions per group and five plants per introduction were used in controlled crosses (genotypic combinations). These were classified according to the number of seeds produced per fruit. Pollen-style compatibility relations were studied in those crosses that did not set seeds or that produced less than 30 seeds each. Within groups, G1 produced seeds normally, whereas hybridization barriers were found in 71.4% and 50.0% of the combinations within G2 and G3, respectively; on the other hand, from 46.7% to 73.3% of the combinations among groups exhibited similar barriers. Variability in the expression of the sites of pollen tube inhibition in the style was observed both within and among groups. Speculations are made on the possible hybrid origin of the populations.