Use of Sodium Chloride Solution to Overcome Self-incompatibility in Brassica campestris

Abstract

Abstract Sodium chloride solution applied to the stigma of self-compatible Brassica campestris L. plants induced self seed setting. Maximum seed per set silique occurred on flowers treated 10 to 15 min before self-pollination with 15 g·liter–1 NaCl solution applied either with a micropipette (8.2 seeds/silique) or with a moistened cotton swab (7.2 seeds/silique). The salt treatments were shown to increase pollen adhesion and pollen germination on the stigma and to reduce callose formation on the papillae.