SELF AND CROSS-POLLINATION IN ALMOND COMMERCIAL ORCHARDS

Abstract

Self and cross-pollination in two almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) orchards was observed during two consecutive years, 2006 and 2007. One orchard having the self-compatible cultivar ‘Francoli’ as the main cultivar and ‘Glorieta’ and ‘Masbovera’ as pollinators, and the second, the self-compatible cultivar ‘Guara’, with ‘Ferraduel’ and ‘Masbovera’ as pollinators. One tree of ‘Francoli’ and one from ‘Guara’ were selected in each orchard. On each tree, two branches, one close to the pollinators and the other at the opposite side, were chosen. Bee hives were not placed in the orchards. Two hundred fruits were collected both years from each branch, and put to germinate. The male genitor of each seedling was determined by molecular markers (isozymes and SSRs). During the two years of the study, more almonds coming from self-pollination (77% from ‘Francoli’ and 67% from ‘Guara’ in 2006; 96% from ‘Francoli’ and 77% from ‘Guara’ in 2007) than from cross pollination were obtained. Differences were more evident in 2007, when the blooming period of the pollinators presented a lag respect blooming time of ‘Francoli’ and ‘Guara’, respectively. Nuts coming from cross pollination were detected in branches far away from pollinators, indicating that even without hives in the orchards; there are natural populations of bees during the flowering season.