Assessment of citrus reproductive biology for seedless mandarin production and its interaction with temperature
- Autores: Rafael Montalt Resurrección
- Directores de la Tesis: Pablo Aleza Gil (dir. tes.), Patrick Ollitrault (dir. tes.), Jaime Cebolla Cornejo (tut. tes.)
- Lectura: En la Universitat Politècnica de València ( España ) en 2023
- Idioma: español
- Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Biotecnología por la Universitat Politècnica de València
- Materias:
- Enlaces
- Tesis en acceso abierto en: RiuNet
- Resumen
Since the origin of citrus, ancestral natural hybridizations, thousands of years of cultivation and admixture phenomenon have resulted in the complexity of the reproductive biology of today's cultivated citrus. The global objective of this PhD was to increase our knowledge on different reproductive aspects that are crucial for citrus breeding and propagation and their interaction with environmental conditions.
Temperature in the progamic phase is critical for the success of plant sexual reproduction. Pollen grain germination, stigmatic receptivity and pollen tube growth are the main components of this phase. The analysis of temperature effect on the progamic phase of citrus was our first objective. Using three compatible crosses within the Citrus genus, we evaluated, with this method, the effect of four temperature regimes in every process during the progamic phase. Warm temperatures reduced the time needed by pollen tubes to reach the ovules and also accelerate pistil degeneration while cold temperatures produced the opposite effects. However, pollen tubes were able to reach the ovules in all crosses studied. Interestingly, we observed for the first time in citrus both pollen germination and pollen tube growth at 10ºC.
Mandarins account for 24% of total citrus production and seedlessness is a crucial quality criterion for the mandarin fresh fruit market. Parthenocarpic ability (PA) is the key for seedless fruit production when it is coupled with self-incompatibility (SI) or sterility. The second objective of this PhD dissertation was to evaluate PA and SI for mandarin varieties with relevant characteristics as parents for seedless mandarin breeding. For this purpose, we developed an efficient protocol based on emasculation, hand self-pollination and hand cross-pollination. Pollen performance was analysed by histological observations, together with fruit set and seed production. Six different behaviors were observed among the nine varieties analysed.
Beyond the critical importance of SI for seedless fruit production, SI is an obstacle for breeding programs based on hybridization as it reduces crossing possibilities. The third objective of this PhD dissertation was to compare the efficiency of the SI reaction breakdown by three factors previously identified in other plant species: temperature stress, bud pollination and polyploidization. The three methods were successful in recovering selfed plants, and bud pollination was the most efficient approach. Chromosome doubling was also efficient, but involved developing tetraploid plants. Cold temperature stress allowed us to obtain a few diploid selfed plants. However, this method proved much more complex to apply than bud pollination in specific breeding programs.
Marker-assisted selection (MAS) allows the selection of target genotypes at the seedling stage, making it a powerful tool, especially in tree species with long juvenile period, such as citrus. The 4th objective of this PhD dissertation focuses on the development of SNPs markers associated with polyembryony and male sterility. Through genetic association studies, we identified a genomic region in linkage group 1 associated with polyembryony and a genomic region on linkage group 8 associated with NPGA. SNP markers closely linked with implied genes were developed for the two genomic regions.
Overall, this PhD dissertation provides new insights into citrus reproductive biology and the influence of temperature on it. The knowledge generated will allow to implement breeding programs more efficiently, particularly those aimed at obtaining seedless varieties. This knowledge can eventually be used to respond to some of the most pressing challenges posed by the current global warming scenario.
