Results of multiple pollination in blueberry (Vaccinium elliottii Chapm.)

Abstract

Blueberry (Vaccinium section Cyanococcus, family Ericaceae) is a shrub that produces multiple-seeded berries in which only a fraction of the ovules develop into viable seeds. A recessive yellowleaf marker gene was used to evaluate the efectiveness of a single pollination versus multiple pollinations in producing seeds in Vaccinium elliottii Chapm. A multiple-pollination experiment was conducted to see if the first pollen applied or the second produced more progeny, and to see if multiple pollinations increased the number of seedlings produced. Flowers of diploid yellowleaf Vaccinium elliottii were pollinated from one to four times at daily intervals. Pollen from redleaf and yellowleaf plants was used to produce two types of seedlings that could be distinguished visually. Generally, percent berry set, seeds per berry, and seed germination were not increased by multiple pollination. After multiple pollination, the pollen applied first always produced the most seedlings. Prior pollination greatly reduced seed set from subsequent pollination, but subsequent pollination caused little or no decrease in the number of seeds set by the first pollination.