The influence of temperature on variability of male gametophyt traits in the progeny of virus-infected tomato genotypes

Abstract

The action of the thermal factor on the functionality of the male gametophyte in tomato progeny infected with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and tomato aspermia virus (TAV) was studied. It was established that the influence of high temperature on the male gametophyte in TMV/TAV offspring causes the modification of the functional characters of the male gametophyte. The effect produced is largely controlled by temperature 78.1...81.5% (for pollen viability), and the variation of pollen tubes sizes is determined by temperature and the interaction of factors (75.6%). The individual analysis of the structures of the variation spectra of the male gametophyte index for each genotype revealed significant differences in their sensitivity to the action of the factor that cause variability, a fact that allowed to the clustered of genotypes according to their reaction to stress, as well as the prediction of the sporophyte response to the stress. Based on the obtained data, genotypes with a high level of heat resistance were highlighted for their subsequent inclusion in the improvement process.