[Seminar] On the origin of flower self-compatibility in almond and apricot

Title: On the origin of flower self-compatibility in almond and apricot

Speaker: Ossama Kodad

Affiliation: National School of Agriculture in Morocco and Head of the Department of Pomology

Abstract:

Gametophytic self-compatibility (GSI) is a widespread mechanism in flowering plants that acts to prevent self-fertilisation, and to promote out-crossing. GSI, which is found in the Rosaceae, involves an S-RNase as the pistil S-component and an F-box protein as the pollen counterpart. In an incompatible cross, S-RNases degrade the pollen RNA, thereby preventing pollen tube growth. Thus, in a GSI system, pollen is rejected when its haplotype is the same as one of the two S-haplotypes in the diploid pistil. In almond, self compatibility is attributed to the absence of the RNase activity of the allele Sf. However, the same allele was identified in some genotypes showing RNase activity and these genotypes are self-incompatible. Several studies were undertaken to elucidate the origin of the self compatibility in almond, however, the origin of this phenomenon is still unclear. In apricot, the origin of self-compatibility is attributed to a mutation in the S8 allele, however there are other sources of self-compatibility in this species, including Miniature inverted‐repeat transposable elements (MITEs). These subjects will be presented and discussed in light of breeders’ goals.