Heritability of Sf Allele in Almond Progenies with PCR Method

Breeding of almond to attain self compatible cultivars is among the objectives followed in almond breeding. Early identification of self-compatible genotypes from self-incompatible ones is very important in saving of time and expenses. There are different methods of either classical or molecular nature to recognize self-compatibility in genotypes. In this study, PCR-based method with specific primers was employed to determine self-compatible genotypes. Almond self-incompatibility system is of a gametophytic type controlled by a single multi-allele locus, expressed as S-RNase in style. In this research work, two commercial cultivars of Ferragnes (s1s3) and Ferralise (s1s3) were reciprocally crossed with self-compatible cultivar of Tuono (s1sf). Progenies (s1sf and s3sf) were grown and selfed (Bagging method) when they entered the flowering stage. Seeds of new generation were made to germinate following stratification. Seedlings were then studied through simple and multiplex PCR. Results indicated that the ratio of self-compatible to self-incompatible progenies was as according to Mendelian rules (1:1). Therefore, PCR was recognized as a precise method for identification of self-compatible genotypes when they are still very young.