Self-incompatibility of the subgenus Cerasus (Mill.) A.Gray (review)

The selection of pollinators when planting plantings in crop production and parental pairs during hybridization in breeding is closely related to the problem of self-incompatibility. The results of numerous studies show that self-incompatibility is realized through a variety of biological mechanisms and is aimed primarily at preventing inbreeding within a population. Self-incompatibility in many species is determined by one S-locus with many S-alleles. In this case, the S-haplotype combines male and female specificity determinants (S-determinants), and pollen recognition occurs due to a molecular allele-specific interaction between them. In representatives of the genus Prunus, self-incompatibility is controlled by the interaction of genes belonging to the S locus, the combination of variants of which forms a specific S haplotype. Molecular S-genotyping methods are based on S-RNase gene sequences, which allow the identification of S-alleles and the classification of varieties with respect to incompatibility groups. To date, 31 S-haplotypes have been identified in sour cherries and sweet cherries, and some of the haplotypes are identical to each other. In sour cherry, 12 functional S-haplotypes and 9 nonfunctional ones have been described. 6 S-haplotypes of sour cherry species have also been described. Mutations that occur not only in the S-RNase and SFB genes, but also in regions not associated with the S-locus can lead to disruption of the self-incompatibility mechanism. Studies on the identification of self-incompatibility alleles of representatives of the Cerasus subgenus were in many cases carried out on the species P. avium L. The formation of self-(in)compatibility of tetraploid genotypes of sour cherry is due to the presence of mutations in the S-locus genes, which lead to the appearance of non-functional S-haplotypes. Self-incompatibility of pollen in sour cherry occurs when one fully functional S-allele in the pollen corresponds to one functional S-haplotype in the pistil. Currently, the study of the mechanism of self-incompatibility continues, and genotyping of sour cherry and sweet cherry varieties is carried out at S-loci. DNA analysis data is promising for predicting the level of compatibility of varieties during pollination and fruit set during hybridization.

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