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Confocal observations of late-acting self-incompatibility in Theobroma cacao L.

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Abstract

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) has an idiosyncratic form of late-acting self-incompatibility that operates through the non-fusion of incompatible gametes. Here, we used high-resolution confocal microscopy to define fine level changes to the embryo sac of the strongly self-incompatible cocoa genotype SCA 24 in the absence of pollination, and following compatible and incompatible pollination. All sperm nuclei had fused with the female nuclei by 48 h following compatible pollinations. However, following incompatible pollinations, we observed divergence in the behaviour of sperm nuclei following release into the embryo sac. Incomplete sperm nucleus migration occurred in approximately half of the embryo sacs, where the sperm nuclei had so far failed to reach the female gamete nuclei. Sperm nuclei reached but did not fuse with the female gamete nuclei in the residual cases. We argue that the cellular mechanisms governing sperm nucleus migration to the egg nucleus and those controlling subsequent nuclear fusion are likely to differ and should be considered independently. Accordingly, we recommend that future efforts to characterise the genetic basis of LSI in cocoa should take care to differentiate between these two events, both of which contribute to failed karyogamy. Implications of these results for continuing efforts to gain better understanding of the genetic control of LSI in cocoa are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionary Alliance (now Cocoa Research Association) of the UK and was conducted at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, UK. Many thanks to Professor Paul Hadley and Mr. Stephen Poutney.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Agriculture Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia

    Caroline S. Ford & Mike J. Wilkinson

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  1. Caroline S. Ford
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  2. Mike J. Wilkinson
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Correspondence to Mike J. Wilkinson.

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Communicated by Tetsuya Higashiyama.

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497_2012_188_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Table of pollination screen results, and three additional figures of ovules following compatible and incompatible pollination at 48-96 h after pollination (PDF 562 kb)

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Ford, C.S., Wilkinson, M.J. Confocal observations of late-acting self-incompatibility in Theobroma cacao L.. Sex Plant Reprod 25, 169–183 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-012-0188-1

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