Journal article
High self-paternity levels and effects of fertilised-seed number on size of strawberry fruit
PLoS One, Vol.17(9), pp.1-12
2022
PMCID: PMC9469984
PMID: 36099262
Abstract
Cross-pollination can increase fruit production in both self-incompatible and self-compatible fruit crops. However, it is often unclear what proportions of the fruit crop result from cross-pollination. We quantified the proportion of cross-pollinated seeds and the proportion of fertilised seeds in two strawberry cultivars, Red Rhapsody and Sundrench, at increasing distances from a cross-pollen source. We assessed whether fully self-pollinated fruit and partly cross-pollinated fruit differed in fruit size, colour, firmness, Brix and acidity. We also assessed whether fruit size and quality were affected by the number or percentage of fertilised seeds. Almost all seeds of both cultivars resulted from self-pollination (similar to 98%), even at only 1 m from a cross-pollen source. Distance from a cross-pollen source did not affect the proportion of partly cross-pollinated fruit or the proportion of cross-pollinated seeds per fruit. The mass and diameter of fully self-pollinated Sundrench fruit, and the redness and Brix of fully self-pollinated Red Rhapsody fruit, were higher than partly cross-pollinated fruit. Fruit mass, length and diameter increased, and acidity decreased, with increasing numbers of fertilised seeds in both cultivars. Fruit mass also increased with the percentage of fertilised seeds. Our results show that cross-pollination was not required for Red Rhapsody and Sundrench fruit production, and that cross-pollination was a rare occurrence even close to cross pollen source. Self-pollen deposition on stigmas is required to maximise the number of fertilised seeds, and consequently fruit size and quality. Our research indicates that bees improve strawberry fruit size by increasing the number of stigmas that receive pollen. Our results suggest that placing bee hives on strawberry farms during flowering and establishing nearby pollinator habitat to support wild pollinators could improve strawberry yield and fruit quality.
Details
- Title
- High self-paternity levels and effects of fertilised-seed number on size of strawberry fruit
- Authors
- Wiebke Kamper (Corresponding Author) - Griffith UniversityCao Dinh Dung (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for BioinnovationSteven M. Ogbourne (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for BioinnovationHelen M. Wallace (Author) - Griffith UniversityStephen J. Trueman (Author) - Griffith University
- Publication details
- PLoS One, Vol.17(9), pp.1-12
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Date published
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0273457
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- PMID
- 36099262; PMC9469984
- Copyright note
- © 2022 Kämper et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; School of Education and Tertiary Access; GeneCology Research Centre - Legacy; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; School of Health - Psychology; Centre for Bioinnovation; External
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99716033402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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