Summary
Ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus) is a vegetatively propagated crop plant that flowers abundantly but sets only few seeds. We examined if the low seed/ovule ratio can be explained by morphological abnormalities in ovules, embryo sacs or embryos. In 35 clones growing in the actual area of cultivation in Ecuador and in 5 clones grown in Finland flowers were analysed by clearing technique. About half of all analysed clones contained ovules and embryo sacs whose development was arrested, in two clones there were embryo sacs whose cell patterns were abnormal and in four clones there were double embryo sacs. There were both normal and abnormal ovules and embryo sacs in the same plant. Genetic load is suggested to be one of the causes for the low sexual fertility found in ulluco. It may be incapable of maintaining homeostasis of development of the ovule and embryo sac in a varying environment. The occurrence of developmental abnormalities should be studied in each clone intended for inclusion in traditional breeding programmes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brücher, H., 1967. Ullucus aborigineus spec. nov., die Wildform einer andinen Kulturpflanze. Ber. Deutschen Bot. Ges. 80: 376–381.
Burbidge, A.H. & S.H. James, 1991. Postzygotic seed abortion in the genetic system of Stylidium (Angiospermae: Stylidiaceae). J. Heredity 82: 319–328.
Cardenas, M., 1969. Manual de plantas económicas de Bolivia. Imp. Icthus, Cochabamba.
Cardenas, M. & J.G. Hawkes, 1948. Número de cromosomas de algunas plantas nativas cultivadas por los indios en los Andes. Rev. Agric. (Cochabamba, Bolivia) 5(4): 30–32.
Franz, R.E., G.D. Jolliff & M. Seddigh, 1991. Embryo abortion in three meadowfoam genotypes. Crop Sci. 31: 1651–1654.
Jennings, D.L., 1976. Cassava. In: N.W. Simmonds (Ed.). Evolution of crop plants, pp. 81–84. Longmans, London.
Jokela, P. & L. Pietilä, 1988. Collecting minor tuber crops in the Andes. FAO/IBPGR PI. Gen. Res. Newsl. 72: 37.
Jokela, P. & L. Pietilä, 1992. Influencia de factores exteriores en la produción de semillas de ulluco. In: Actas del VII congreso internacional sobre cultivos andinos. IBTA, ORSTOM, CIID, La Paz.
Jokela, P., L. Pietilä, J. Estrella, R. Castillo, L. Muñoz & C. Tapia C. Possibilities to manipulate seed number of ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus) by altering resource allocation pattern. Manuscript.
Krebs, S.L. & J.F. Hancock, 1991. Embryonic genetic load in the highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum (Ericaceae). Am. J. Bot. 78: 1427–1437.
Lardizapal, R.D. & P.G. Thompson, 1990. Growth regulators combined with grafting increase flower number and seed production in sweet potato. HortSci. 25 (1): 79–81.
Larkka, J., P. Jokela, L. Pietilä & Y. Viinikka, 1992. Karyotypes and meiosis of cultivated and wild ulluco. Caryologia 45: 229–235.
Lempiäinen, T., 1989. Germination of the seeds of ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus, Basellaceae). Economic Bot. 43 (4): 456–463.
Lynch, M. & W. Gabriel, 1990. Mutation load and the survival of small populations. Evolution 44 (7): 1725–1737.
Maheshwari Devi, H., & T. Pullaiah, 1975. Life history of Basella rubra Linn and taxonomic status of the family Basellaceae. J. Indian Bot. Soc. 54: 154–166.
Mora, E., 1971. Estudio agrobotánico de 14 clones de ollucos (Clave de identificación de clones), Ing. Agr. Thesis, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco.
Pietilä, L., Pollination requirements of seed set in Ullucus tuberosus. Manuscript.
Pietilä, L. & P. Jokela, 1990. Seed set of ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus Loz.). Variation between clones and enhancement of seed production through the application of plant growth regulators. Euphytica 47: 139–145.
Raghavan, V., 1986. Embryogenesis in angiosperms: a developmental and experimental study. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Rousi, A., J. Salo, R. Kalliola, P. Jokela, L. Pietilä & M. Yli-Rekola, 1986. Variation pattern in ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus- Basellaceae), a supposedly asexual Andean tuber crop. Acta Hortic. 182: 145–152.
Rousi, A., M. Yli-Rekola, P. Jokela, R. Kalliola, L. Pietilä & J. Salo, 1988. The fruit of Ullucus (Basellaceae), an old enigma. Taxon 37 (1): 71–75.
Rousi, A., P. Jokela, R. Kalliola, L. Pietilä, J. Salo & M. Yli-Rekola, 1989. Morphological variation among clones of ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus, Basellaceae) collected in southern Peru. Economic Bot. 43 (1): 58–72.
Sperling, C.R., 1987. Systematics of the Basellaceae, Ph.D. Thesis, Harvard University.
Stelly, D.M., S.J. Peloquin, R.G. Palmer & C.F. Crane, 1984. Mayer's hemalum-methyl salicylate: A stain-clearing technique for observations within whole ovules. Stain technology 59 (3): 155–161.
Stephenson, A.G., 1981. Flower and fruit abortion: proximate causes and ultimate functions. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 12: 253–279.
Stout, A.B., 1929. Sterilities of wild and cultivated potatoes with references to breeding from seed. USDA Dept. Bull. 1195: 32.
Uma Shaanker, R., K.N. Ganeshaiah & K.S. Bawa, 1988. Parent —offspring conflict, sibling rivalry, and brood size patterns in plants. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 19: 177–205.
Wardlaw, I.F., 1990. The control of carbon partitioning in plants. New Phytol. 116: 341–381.
Wiens, D., D.L. Nickrent, C.I. Davern, C.L. Calvin & N.J. Vivrette, 1989. Developmental failure and loss of reproductive capacity in the rare palaeoendemic shrub. Nature 338: 65–67.
Wiens, D., C.L. Calvin, C.A. Wilson, C.I. Davern, D. Frank & S.R. Seavey, 1987. Reproductive success, spontaneous embryo abortion, and genetic load in flowering plants. Oecologia (Berlin) 71: 501–509.
Willemse, M.T.M. & J.L. van Went, 1984. The female gametophyte. In: B.M. Johri (Ed.). Embryology of angiosperms, pp. 159–196. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg.
Zimmerman, M. & G.H. Pyke, 1988. Reproduction in Polemonium: assessing the factors limiting seed set. Am. Nat. 131: 723–738.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pietilä, L., Jokela, P. Developmental abnormalities in the ovule and embryo sac of ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus) and their effect on seed set. Euphytica 75, 31–39 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024529
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024529