1
|
De Silva AL, Kämper W, Ogbourne SM, Nichols J, Royle JWL, Peters T, Hawkes D, Hosseini Bai S, Wallace HM, Trueman SJ. MassARRAY and SABER Analyses of SNPs in Embryo DNA Reveal the Abscission of Self-Fertilised Progeny during Fruit Development of Macadamia ( Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6419. [PMID: 38928124 PMCID: PMC11204000 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Yield in many crops is affected by abscission during the early stages of fruitlet development. The reasons for fruitlet abscission are often unclear but they may include genetic factors because, in some crops, self-pollinated fruitlets are more likely to abscise than cross-pollinated fruitlets. Pollen parentage can also affect final fruit size and fruit quality. Here, we aimed to understand the effects of pollen parentage on fruitlet retention and nut quality in orchards of macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche). We identified the pollen parent of macadamia 'cultivar '816' embryos by analysing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in their DNA using customised MassARRAY and Single Allele Base Extension Reaction (SABER) methods. This allowed us to determine the proportions of self-fertilised and cross-fertilised progeny during premature fruit drop at 6 weeks and 10 weeks after peak anthesis, as well as at nut maturity. We determined how pollen parentage affected nut-in-shell (NIS) mass, kernel mass, kernel recovery, and oil concentration. Macadamia trees retained cross-fertilised fruitlets rather than self-fertilised fruitlets. The percentage of progeny that were cross-fertilised increased from 6% at 6 weeks after peak anthesis to 97% at nut maturity, with each tree producing on average 22 self-fertilised nuts and 881 cross-fertilised nuts. Three of the four cross-pollen parents provided fruit with significantly higher NIS mass, kernel mass, or kernel recovery than the few remaining self-fertilised fruit. Fruit that were cross-fertilised by '842', 'A4', or 'A203' had 16-29% higher NIS mass and 24-44% higher kernel mass than self-fertilised fruit. Nuts that were cross-fertilised by 'A4' or 'A203' also had 5% or 6% higher kernel recovery, worth approximately $US460-540 more per ton for growers than self-fertilised nuts. The highly selective abscission of self-fertilised fruitlets and the lower nut quality of self-fertilised fruit highlight the critical importance of cross-pollination for macadamia productivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anushika L. De Silva
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; (A.L.D.S.); (J.N.); (S.H.B.)
| | - Wiebke Kämper
- Functional Agrobiodiversity and Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Steven M. Ogbourne
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD 4558, Australia;
- School of Science, Technology & Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD 4558, Australia
| | - Joel Nichols
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; (A.L.D.S.); (J.N.); (S.H.B.)
| | - Jack W. L. Royle
- Australian Genome Research Facility, Gehrmann Laboratories, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.W.L.R.); (T.P.); (D.H.)
| | - Trent Peters
- Australian Genome Research Facility, Gehrmann Laboratories, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.W.L.R.); (T.P.); (D.H.)
| | - David Hawkes
- Australian Genome Research Facility, Gehrmann Laboratories, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.W.L.R.); (T.P.); (D.H.)
| | - Shahla Hosseini Bai
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; (A.L.D.S.); (J.N.); (S.H.B.)
| | - Helen M. Wallace
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia;
| | - Stephen J. Trueman
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; (A.L.D.S.); (J.N.); (S.H.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chapman NC, Colin T, Cook J, da Silva CRB, Gloag R, Hogendoorn K, Howard SR, Remnant EJ, Roberts JMK, Tierney SM, Wilson RS, Mikheyev AS. The final frontier: ecological and evolutionary dynamics of a global parasite invasion. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20220589. [PMID: 37222245 PMCID: PMC10207324 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying rapid biological changes accompanying the introduction of alien organisms into native ecosystems can provide insights into fundamental ecological and evolutionary theory. While powerful, this quasi-experimental approach is difficult to implement because the timing of invasions and their consequences are hard to predict, meaning that baseline pre-invasion data are often missing. Exceptionally, the eventual arrival of Varroa destructor (hereafter Varroa) in Australia has been predicted for decades. Varroa is a major driver of honeybee declines worldwide, particularly as vectors of diverse RNA viruses. The detection of Varroa in 2022 at over a hundred sites poses a risk of further spread across the continent. At the same time, careful study of Varroa's spread, if it does become established, can provide a wealth of information that can fill knowledge gaps about its effects worldwide. This includes how Varroa affects honeybee populations and pollination. Even more generally, Varroa invasion can serve as a model for evolution, virology and ecological interactions between the parasite, the host and other organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadine C. Chapman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Lab, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Théotime Colin
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - James Cook
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Carmen R. B. da Silva
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Ros Gloag
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Katja Hogendoorn
- School of Agriculture, The University of Adelaide, Food and Wine, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
| | - Scarlett R. Howard
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Emily J. Remnant
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Lab, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - John M. K. Roberts
- Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia
| | - Simon M. Tierney
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753, USA
| | - Rachele S. Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Alexander S. Mikheyev
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 26000, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kämper W, Dung CD, Ogbourne SM, Wallace HM, Trueman SJ. High self-paternity levels and effects of fertilised-seed number on size of strawberry fruit. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273457. [PMID: 36099262 PMCID: PMC9469984 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cross-pollination can increase fruit production in both self-incompatible and self-compatible fruit crops. However, it is often unclear what proportions of the fruit crop result from cross-pollination. We quantified the proportion of cross-pollinated seeds and the proportion of fertilised seeds in two strawberry cultivars, Red Rhapsody and Sundrench, at increasing distances from a cross-pollen source. We assessed whether fully self-pollinated fruit and partly cross-pollinated fruit differed in fruit size, colour, firmness, Brix and acidity. We also assessed whether fruit size and quality were affected by the number or percentage of fertilised seeds. Almost all seeds of both cultivars resulted from self-pollination (~98%), even at only 1 m from a cross-pollen source. Distance from a cross-pollen source did not affect the proportion of partly cross-pollinated fruit or the proportion of cross-pollinated seeds per fruit. The mass and diameter of fully self-pollinated Sundrench fruit, and the redness and Brix of fully self-pollinated Red Rhapsody fruit, were higher than partly cross-pollinated fruit. Fruit mass, length and diameter increased, and acidity decreased, with increasing numbers of fertilised seeds in both cultivars. Fruit mass also increased with the percentage of fertilised seeds. Our results show that cross-pollination was not required for Red Rhapsody and Sundrench fruit production, and that cross-pollination was a rare occurrence even close to cross pollen source. Self-pollen deposition on stigmas is required to maximise the number of fertilised seeds, and consequently fruit size and quality. Our research indicates that bees improve strawberry fruit size by increasing the number of stigmas that receive pollen. Our results suggest that placing bee hives on strawberry farms during flowering and establishing nearby pollinator habitat to support wild pollinators could improve strawberry yield and fruit quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Kämper
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Cao Dinh Dung
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
| | - Steven M. Ogbourne
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
| | - Helen M. Wallace
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
| | - Stephen J. Trueman
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Biomass and mineral nutrient partitioning among self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit on the same strawberry plant. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269485. [PMID: 35657926 PMCID: PMC9165839 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollen-parent effects on fruit size and quality have been found previously among competing self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit on the same Redlands Joy strawberry plant. These effects occur independently of the percentage of fertilized seeds on the fruit, but the expression of these effects on fruit size and some aspects of quality are greatest when calcium is in shortest supply. Here, we aimed to clarify at what developmental stages the self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit diverge in size and quality and whether differences between self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit are due to early differences in nutrient accumulation. Fruit were harvested at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after hand-pollination and at full ripeness, approximately 4 weeks after hand-pollination. We measured fruit mass, length, diameter, colour, and the concentrations of aluminium, boron, calcium, copper, iron, nitrogen, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phospho-rous, potassium and zinc. Temporary increases in fruit mass, length or diameter due to cross-pollination were evident at 1 or 2 weeks after pollination. Consistent increases in size and skin darkness from cross-pollination emerged in the final week of fruit development. We found little evidence that self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit differed in mineral nutrient accumulation at any stage of fruit development. The results demonstrate that cross-pollination effects on strawberry fruit size are evident briefly during early fruit growth but emerge mainly during the final week of fruit development. The effects of cross-pollination on fruit size are not the result of early differences in mineral nutrient accumulation between self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit.
Collapse
|