Determining conditions for best pollen quality of red-purple tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) germplasm

Abstract

The germination and viability of pollen are characteristics required for fecundation when individuals of different or the same species are crossed. For this reason, assessing these parameters in selected individuals to be used in breeding programs will increase the chances for the obtainment of new progeny. In this study, pollen from different accessions of the red-purple tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) was used: local cultivar (Morado Puntón), two commercial varieties (Large Red and Oratia Red) and six segregants [(Solanum unilobum x Solanum betaceum) x Solanum betaceum]. Three types of flowers were taken (A-day of anthesis, B-one day after anthesis, and C-two days after anthesis). The pollen was conserved in two temperatures (4° and 22° C) and four storage times (0, 5, 10, 20 days). The percentage of germination and pollen viability of the selected individuals were evaluated. It was observed that the commercial materials showed higher germination percentages than the segregants in flower A and B at a temperature of 4 ° C at all storage times, except for the segregants GT7P47 and GT7P48 at the same temperature on day 0. In addition, high percentages of viability were obtained both in flowers A and B, at both temperatures and at all storage times. However, the immediate use of pollen after it is collected is recommended because better germination is achieved. This study is helpful to improve breeding procedures in the initial stages of directed crosses.

Phytochemical Characterization of a Tree Tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) Breeding Population Grown in the Inter-Andean Valley of Ecuador

“…This fruit can be used in pharmaceutical applications, constituting a promising commercial crop with the potential to be fully exploited as a source of healthy products [ 23 , 29 ]. In Ecuador, few breeding studies have been carried out in tree tomatoes [ 27 , 28 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ]; for this reason, selecting individuals showing high biocompounds contents are useful to set further breeding programs and in developing new varieties [ 21 ].…”

Enhancing salinity tolerance in tomatoes at the reproductive stage by increasing pollen viability

“…Furthermore, fruits per plant in tomatoes are also harmed due to this factor [9][10][11] , which leads to high leaf surface temperature; thus, stomata start to close, and the cell wall and electrons start to leak from leaf cells 12 . During the reproductive stage, it has been proved that pollen viability and pollen germination are the ideal parameters to be assessed for studying the tolerance of plants against constraints 13 like salinity or heat stress, and both pollen viability and pollen viability and pollen germination decreased under salt stress conditions 14 .…”

“…In addition, osmo-priming by polyethylene glycol mitigates the toxicity of the ions that are accumulated due to severe salt stress by stabilizing the balance between cations and anions; therefore, polyethylene glycol diminishes the negative effects of Na + and Clions accumulated in leaves due to sodium chloride salinity stress 13 by increasing the amount of K + ions 14 .…”

DESARROLLO DEL FRUTO EN CULTIVARES DE TOMATE DE ÁRBOL (Solanum betaceum Cav.).

“…El ciclo fenológico del cultivo tiene tres etapas: La etapa vegetativa que va desde el trasplante hasta la floración; la etapa reproductiva que es un periodo comprendido entre la floración y el inicio de la fructificación, esta etapa se mantiene permanentemente una vez que se inicia la floración; y la etapa productiva que va desde la floración hasta la finalización de la producción de los frutos (12). El tomate de árbol es una planta alógama, es decir, de polinizada cruzada (13); sin embargo, en programas de mejoramiento se usa la polinización artificial. Sus flores son pequeñas, de color rosado, hermafroditas, actinomorfas, con el cáliz acampado, de 1.3 a 1.5 cm de diámetro, agrupadas formando una inflorescencia (14).…”