Early Withering of Enlarged Ovules in Pollinated Fruits of Bananas (Musa spp.) Suggest Abortion after Fertilization
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Horticulturae
Abstract
Sterility in edible bananas is as a result of a long history of anthropogenic-driven selection
for sterile genotypes, since seed is not desirable in fruit pulp for human consumption. However, this
poses a challenge to conventional genetic improvement by slowing breeding pipelines. In this study,
we investigated whether pollen tubes reach all parts of the ovary, the position of fertilized ovule
development in fruits, and potential seed set in selected banana genotypes. We selected four cultivars
of East African Highland Cooking bananas (EAHBs), a Matooke hybrid ‘222K-1’, improved diploid
‘2905’, and wild bananas ‘Zebrina (G.F.)’ and ‘Calcutta 4’. There was evidence of pollen tubes in the
distal, mid and proximal sections of the fruit, irrespective of hand position and genotype. Fertilization,
as indicated by an increase in ovule size, happened along the entire length of the fruit but complete
development was biased at the distal end in some genotypes. There were some differences in ovule
fertilization rates between hands, with distal hands having more ovules and higher ovule fertilization
rates. Ovule fertilization happens in bananas but the vast majority aborts, especially at the proximal
end of the ovary. Ovule fertilization rates are generally much lower than available ovules.
Description
Keywords
Banana pollination, Pollen tubes, Ovule fertilization, Ovule abortion
Citation
Waniale, A.; Mukasa, S.B.; Tugume, A.K.; Kubiriba, J.; Tushemereirwe,W.K.; Tumuhimbise, R. EarlyWithering of Enlarged Ovules in Pollinated Fruits of Bananas (Musa spp.) Suggest Abortion after Fertilization. Horticulturae 2022, 8, 426. https://doi.org/10.3390/ horticulturae8050426