R. Guerriero

The self compatibility trait of the main apricot cultivars and new selections from breeding programmes.

SummaryKnowledge of the self-compatible trait for commercial apricot cultivars and selections from breeding programmes is of great importance for apricot breeders and growers. A study on self-incompatibility of the main growing cultivars in Europe as well as selections from European and American breeding programmes has been carried out. Out of 123 cultivars tested, 72 were found to be self-compatible while 42 were self-incompatible. For nine cultivars results were not conclusive. Many of the self-incompatible cultivars were obtained from breeding programmes, which indicates that not enough attention has been paid to this undesirable characteristic during the selection processes.

Incompatibility in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.): Methodological considerations

SummaryThe recent introduction of new self-incompatible varieties of apricot has required further research on the extent of self-incompatibility in apricot and its genetic determinism. The different laboratory and field techniques utilized to date for incompatibility studies in apricot have often given markedly diverging results, leading to difficulty of interpretation. The purpose of this study was therefore to make a critical assessment of the reliability of the various methods, to obtain a more precise tool for compatibility studies. Forty-eight apricot crosses were assessed over a two-year period and the results compared using the normal field techniques (active pollination without bagging, active pollination with bagging and passive pollination) and laboratory tests (fluorescence test). The present study reports on some aspects of the different techniques and offers methodological suggestions for improved practical application of the various tests.