Study of pollen compatibility relationships among some selected promising almond cultivars and genotypes

Almond is one of the most important Prunus species. Most almond cultivars and genotypes are self-incompatible and some others are cross-incompatible. However, recently self-incompatible cultivars developed by breeding are available. Therefore self-incompatible cultivars for pollination, fertilization and production require compatible pollen of other cultivars. In this regard the study of pollen and pistil compatibility of the three cultivars of ‘Tuono’, ‘Shokofeh’, ‘Sahand’ and promising five selected genotypes of A1.16, A9.7, A8.39, A10.11 and A230 was made using method controlled pollination and determined the fruit set percentage in the field. Crosses were performed based on flowering overlap among the three groups. Results showed that crosses of Tuono × A9.7 (60.52 % fruit set), A9.7 × A10.11 (79.20% fruit set) and Shokofeh × Sahand (77.52 % fruit set) had the highest of fruit set percentage and maximum compatibility on crosses were used in mentioned groups. Furthermore crosses of Tuono × A230 (42.45 % fruit set) and Tuono × Sahand(39.52 % fruit set) showed 50 percent incompatibility.