New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Pollination compatibility of `Sundrop' apricot and its progeny
in the `Clutha' series
G. F. McLAREN
J. A. FRASER
The Horticulture and Food Research
Institute of New Zealand
Clyde Research Centre
R.D. 1, Alexandra
New Zealand
Abstract Flowers of the apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.)
cultivar, `Sundrop' produced low fruitset when self-pollinated or caged to
exclude bees during bloom. The level of fruit set improved when `Sundrop'
flowers were pollinated with another cultivar, even when the pollen came from
trees of its own progeny (the `Clutha' series). Levels of self-compatibility
varied within the `Clutha' series; seven selections were as self-compatible as
one of their parents `Moorpark' whereas six showed low self-compatibility,
similar to that of their other parent, `Sundrop'. Comparison of the flowering
dates of these and other commercial cultivars which could be used as
pollenisers showed that in four of the five years `CluthaGold', `CluthaStar',
`CluthaSun', and `CluthaGem' all flowered with `Sundrop'. However, one year
demonstrated the need to include an earlier flowering polleniser for `Sundrop'.
Five of the six named `Clutha' selections were compatible with `Sundrop'; only
lack of synchrony of flowering will affect their value as potential pollenisers
for this cultivar. Three of the more commonly planted newer cultivars had low
self-compatibility--`Sundrop', `CluthaGold', and `Valleygold'--thus revising
the pollination status of apricot from a crop that does not require
cross-pollination to one which generally does; care will be necessary in the
planning of new plantings.
Keywords pollination; apricot; self-compatibility; `Clutha'
series; `Valleygold'; `Sundrop'; pollenisers
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 1996, Vol. 24:
47-53
0114-0671/96/2401-0047 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1996
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (428K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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