Summary
Attempts to overcome interspecific incompatibility in Nicotiana by X-irradiation of male parents have shown a difference in response between a self-incompatible (S.I.) and a self-compatible (S.C.) species. Compatibility can be produced in the SI pollen of the former but not in the Sf pollen of the latter
The observations suggest that interspecific S-gene determination may be gametophytic for the SI alleles but sporophytic in the case of the Sf allele. This sporophytic determination of the Sf allele occurs very early, possibly at the time of floral induction, or even earlier. Irradiation of floral buds, therefore, does not produce effective mutations, for by then the S-gene product is already laid down in the cytoplasm.
By analogy it is suggested that in species with a sporophytically determined intraspecific incompatibility system, the S-gene products may also be laid down very early. This is in accordance with recent cytochemical observations.
In SISf hybrids the difference in time and tissue of action between sporophytically active Sf and gametophytically active SI may allow the two alleles to be expressed without interaction.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Brewbaker, J L, and Natarajan, A T. 1960. Centric fragments and pollen-part mutation of incompatibility alleles in Petunia. Genetics, 45, 699–704.
Davies, D R, and Wall, E T. 1961. Gamma radiation and interspecific incompatibility in plants. In Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Seeds, IAEA Vienna, 83–101.
Heslop-Harrison, J. 1967. Ribosome sites and S gene action. Nature, 218, 90–91.
Heslop-Harrison, J. 1971. Sporopollenin in the biological context. In Sporopollenin, ed. J. Brooks, P. R. Grant, M. Muir, P. van Gjizel, and G. Shaw. London, Academic Press.
Heslop-Harrison, J, Heslop-Harrison, Y, Knox, R B, and Howhell, B. 1973. Pollen-wall proteins: “Gametophytic” and “Sporophytic” fractions in the pollen walls of the Malvaceae. Ann Bot, 37, 403–412.
Knox, R B. 1973. Pollen wall proteins: Pollen-stigma interactions in ragweed and Cosmos (Compositae). J Cell Sci, 12, 421–443.
Knox, R B, and Heslop-Harrison, J. 1969. Cytochemical localization of enzymes in the wall of the pollen grain. Nature, 223, 92–94.
Knox, R B, Willing, R R, and Pryor, L D. 1972. Interspecific hybridization in poplars using recognition pollen. Silvae Genetica, 21, 3–4.
Lewis, D. 1948. Structure of the incompatibility gene. I. Spontaneous mutation rate. Heredity, 2, 219–236.
Lewis, D. 1949. Structure of the incompatibility gene. II. Induced mutation rate. Heredity, 3, 339–355.
Lewis, D. 1951. Structure of the incompatibility gene. III. Types of spontaneous and induced mutation. Heredity, 5, 399–414.
Lewis, D. 1954a. Comparative incompatibility in angiosperms and fungi. Adv Genet, 6, 235–285.
Lewis, D. 1954b. Incompatibility in relation to physiology, genetics and evolutionary taxonomy. Proc 8th Intern Bot Congr, Sec 10, 124–132.
Lewis, D, and Crowe, L K. 1954. Structure of the incompatibility gene. IV. Types of mutations in Prunus avium L. Heredity, 8, 357–363.
Lewis, D, and Crowe, L K. 1958. Unilateral interspecific incompatibility in flowering plants. Heredity, 12, 233–256.
Pandey, K K. 1956. Mutations of self-incompatibility alleles in Trifolium pratense and T. repens. Genetics, 41, 327–343.
Pandey, K K. 1959. Mutation of the self-incompatibility gene (S) and pseudo-compatibility in angiosperms. Lloydia, 22, 222–234.
Pandey, K K. 1961. S allele mutations and components of the S gene. Heredity, 16, 239.
Pandey, K K. 1962a. Interspecific incompatibility in Solanum species. Am J Bot, 49, 874–882.
Pandey, K K. 1962b. A theory of S gene structure. Nature, 196, 236–238.
Pandey, K K. 1964. Elements of the S-gene complex. I. The S FI alleles in Nicotiana. Genet Res, Camb, 5, 397–409.
Pandey, K K. 1965. Centric chromosome fragments and pollen-part mutation of the incompatibility gene in Nicotiana alata. Nature, 206, 792–795.
Pandey, K K. 1968. Compatibility relationships in flowering plants: Role of the S-gene complex. Amer Nat, 102, 475–489.
Pandey, K K. 1969a. Elements of the S-gene complex. IV. S-allele polymorphism in Nicotiana species. Heredity, 24, 601–619.
Pandey, K K. 1969b. Elements of the S-gene complex. V. Interspecific cross-compatibility relationships and theory of the evolution of the S complex. Genetica, 40, 447–474.
Pandey, K K. 1970. Elements of the S-gene complex. VI. Mutations of the self-incompatibility gene, pseudo-compatibility and origin of new self-incompatibility alleles. Genetica, 41, 477–516.
Pandey, K K. 1973. Phases in the S-gene expression, and S-allele interaction in the control of interspecific incompatibility. Heredity, 31, 381–400.
Pandey, K K. 1974. Elimination of heterozygosity and efficiency of genetic systems. Theoret and Appl Genet, 44, 199–205.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pandey, K. Overcoming interspecific pollen incompatibility through the use of ionising radiation. Heredity 33, 279–284 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1974.93
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1974.93
This article is cited by
-
Pollination with gamma-irradiated pollen and development of fruits, seeds and parthenogenetic plants in apple
Euphytica (1991)
-
Induced parthenogenesis in kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) through the use of lethally irradiated pollen
Euphytica (1990)
-
Pollen and pollination experiments. V. An empirical basis for a mentor pollen effect observed on the growth of incompatible pollen tubes in pear
Euphytica (1982)
-
‘Hertwig Effect’ in plants: induced parthenogenesis through the use of irradiated pollen
Theoretical and Applied Genetics (1982)
-
Pollen and pollination experiments. III. The viability of apple and pear pollen as affected by irradiation and storage
Euphytica (1981)