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Comparison of three pollination methods for Eucalyptus argophloia, a small-flowered eucalypt

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Abstract

Context

Most studies assess pollination success at capsule maturity, and studies of pre-zygotic processes are often lacking.

Aims

This study investigates the suitability of controlled pollination for a potential forestry plantation species, Eucalyptus argophloia, by examining pre- and post-zygotic pollination success.

Methods

Pollen tube development, capsule set and seed set are compared following three-stop pollination, artificially induced protogyny (AIP), AIP unpollinated and open pollination. The fecundity of stored pollen was compared with that of fresh pollen.

Results

Three-stop pollination, AIP and open pollination had similar numbers of pollen tubes, but AIP unpollinated had none. Open pollination produced significantly more capsules and total number of seeds than the other treatments. There were significantly more seeds per retained capsule for the open pollination and three-stop pollination treatments than for the AIP and AIP unpollinated pollination treatments. There were no significant differences relative to the age of pollen.

Conclusions

Pre-zygotic success in terms of pollen tubes was similar for open-pollinated, three stop and AIP, but was not reflected in post-zygotic success when the open pollination and three-stop method produced significantly more seeds per retained capsule than the AIP treatments and open pollination yielded more seeds. Capsule set and total seed set for open pollination, and fewer capsules in controlled pollinations, may reflect physical damage to buds because of the small E. argophloia flowers. Suitable alternative breeding strategies other than controlled pollinations are discussed for this species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Australian Research Council for financial assistance, John Oostenbrink (Agri-Science Queensland, Gympie) for technical support and Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, for providing access to trial sites and equipment used in this study.

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Research Council linkage grant number LP0562678.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia

    Bruce W. Randall, David A. Walton, David J. Lee & Helen M. Wallace

  2. Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, P.O. Box 395, Gympie, QLD, 4570, Australia

    David J. Lee

Authors
  1. Bruce W. Randall
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  2. David A. Walton
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  3. David J. Lee
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  4. Helen M. Wallace
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David A. Walton.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Ricardo Alia

Contribution of the co-authors

Bruce W. Randall: collaboratively designing the experiments, undertaking the experiments, collecting and analysing data and drafting and editing the manuscript.

David A. Walton: collaboratively designing the experiments and discussing, editing and submitting the manuscript.

David J. Lee: providing equipment and access to the experimental site, doing field work and reviewing the manuscript.

Helen M. Wallace: coordinating the project, collaboratively designing the experiments, supervising the experiments, discussing data and results and editing the manuscript.

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Randall, B.W., Walton, D.A., Lee, D.J. et al. Comparison of three pollination methods for Eucalyptus argophloia, a small-flowered eucalypt. Annals of Forest Science 72, 127–133 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0407-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0407-z

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