Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Late-acting self-incompatibility: a barrier to self-fertilization in sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.)

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In search of causal factors underlying perceived allogamy in sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), we investigated the breeding system and pollen–pistil interaction. Floral biology study in the species established Fabaceae type hermaphrodite zygomorphic flower with dimorphic anthers. Study of the breeding system revealed preferential success of allogamy despite delayed autonomous selfing mechanism characteristically prevailing in the species. Pollen–pistil interaction study in selfed and crossed pistils revealed significant differences in pollen tube growth rates inside the pistil. Further, in self-pollinated pistils callose formation observed at and around nucellus cells suggesting the late-acting type of self-incompatibility mechanism in the species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scientific communication underscoring the prevalence of self-incompatibility mechanism in sunnhemp.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ansari AA (2008) Crotalaria L. In India. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun

    Google Scholar 

  • Balkcom KS, Reeves DW (2005) Sunnhemp utilized as a legume cover crop for corn production. Agron J 97:26–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett SCH (1988) The evolution, maintenance and loss of self-incompatibility systems. In: Lovett Doust J, Lovett Doust L (eds) Reproductive strategies of plants: patterns & strategies. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 98–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Bawa KS (1974) Breeding systems of tree species of a lowland tropical community. Evolution 28:85–92

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beardsell DV, Knox RB, Williams EG (1993) Breeding system and reproductive success of Thryptomene calycina (Myrtaceae). Aust J Bot 4:333–353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bianchi MB, Gibbs PE (2000) Late-acting self-incompatibility in Capparis retusa (Capparaceae), a species of Chaco woodland in NE Argentina. Braz J Bot 23:395–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bittencourt NS, Semir J (2006) Floral biology and late-acting self-incompatibility in Jacaranda racemosa (Bignoniaceae). Aust J Bot 54:315–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bittencourt JR, Nelson S, Gibbs PE, Semir J (2003) histological study of post-pollination events in Spathodea Campanulata Beauv. (Bignoniaceae), a species with late-acting self-incompatibility. Ann Bot 91(7):827–834

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bullock SH (1985) Breeding systems in the flora of a tropical deciduous forest in Mexico. Biotropica 17:287–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chandrashekar US, Dadlani M, Vishwanath K, Chakrabarty SK, Manjunath Prasad CT (2013) Study of morpho-physiological, phenological and reproductive behaviour in protogynous lines of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.)]. Euphytica 193:277–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charlesworth D, Charlesworth B (1987) Inbreeding depression and its evolutionary consequences. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 18:237–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhury J, Singh DP, Hazra SK (2000) Sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore

    Google Scholar 

  • Chee YK, Chen CP (1992) Crotalaria juncea L. In: Mannetje L, Jones RM (eds) Plant resources of south-east asia. No 4. Forages. Pudoc Scientific Publishers, Wageningen, pp 98–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiara Moco MC (1996) Biologia da reproduc ~ ao de Swartzia apetala Raddi var. apetala (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae). Dissertation, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

  • Crowe L (1971) The polygenic control of outbreeding in Borago officinalis. Heredity 27:111–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dafni A, Kevan PG, Husband BC (2005) Practical pollination biology. Enviroquest, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • de Nettancourt D (1997) Incompatibility in angiosperms. Sex Plant Reprod 10:185–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deurenberg JJM (1976) In vitro protein synthesis with polysomes from unpollinated, cross- and self-pollinated Petunia ovaries. Planta 128:29–33

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Drews GN, Koltunow AM (2011) The Female Gametophyte. Arabidopsis Book 9:e0155

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Duke JA (1983) Handbook of energy crops. In: New CROP (new crop resource online program), Center for new crops and plant products, Department of horticulture and landscape architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette

  • Etcheverry AV (2001) Floral biology and pollination in Crotalaria stipularia (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae). Acta Hortic 561:339–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etcheverry A, Protomastro J, Westerkamp C (2003) Delayed autonomous self-pollination in the colonizer Crotalaria micans (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae): structural and functional aspects. Plant Syst Evol 239:15–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finatto T, Dos-Santos KL, Steiner N, Bizzocchi L, Holderbaum DF, Ducroquet JPHJ, Guerra MP, Nodari RO (2011) Late-acting self-incompatibility in Acca sellowiana (Myrtaceae). Aust J Bot 59:53–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fryxell PA (1957) Mode of reproduction in higher plants. Bot Rev 23(1):135–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganders FR (1979) The biology of heterostyly. NZ J Bot 17:607–635

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs PE (1986) Do homomorphic and heteromorphic self-incompatibities have the same sporophytic mechanism? Plant Syst Evol 154:285–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs PE (2014) Late-acting self-incompatibility—the pariah breeding system in flowering plants. New Phytol 203:717–734

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs PE, Bianchi MB (1993) Post-pollination events in species of Chorisia (Bombacaceae) and Tabebuia (Bignoniaceae) with late-acting self-incompatibility. Bot Acta 106:64–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs PE, Bianchi MB (1999) Does late-acting self-incompatibility (LSI) show family clustering? Two more species of Bignoniaceae with LSI: Dolichandra cynanchoides and Tabebuia nodosa. Ann Bot 84:449–457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs P, Bianchi MB, Ranga NT (2004) Effects of self-, chase and mixed self/cross-pollinations on pistil longevity and fruit set in Ceiba species (Bombacaceae) with late-acting self-incompatibility. Ann Bot 94(2):305–310

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hanelt P (2001) Leguminosae. In: Hanelt P (ed) Mansfeld encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops, vol 2. Springer, Berlin, pp 900–911

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Herrero M, Gascon M (1987) Prolongation of embryo sac viability in pear (Pyrus communis L.) following pollination or treatment with gibberellic acid. Ann Bot 60:287–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hormaza JI, Herrero M (1992) Pollen selection. Theor Appl Genet 83:663–672

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howard A, Howard GLC, Rahman KA (1919) Studies on the pollination of Indian crops. Imp Agric Res Inst Memo (Bot Ser) 10:195–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson IJ (1951) Table 181. In: Hughs HD, Heath ME, Metcalf DS (eds) Forages. Iowa State College Press, Amer Iowa

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaur H (1964) Illustration of Indian plants—Crotalaria-I. Bulletin of the National Botanical Garden, Lucknow

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenrick J, Kaul V, Williams EG (1986) Self-incompatibility in Acacia retinodes: site of pollen tube arrest is the nucellus. Planta 169:245–250

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klekowski EJ (1988) Mutation, developmental selection, and plant evolution. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kundu BC (1964) Sunn-hemp in India. Proc Soil Crop Soc Fla 24:396–404

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Roux MM, Van Wyk BE (2012) The systematic value of flower structure in Crotalaria and related genera of the tribe Crotalarieae (Fabaceae). Flora 207:414–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Roux MM, Boatwright JS, van Wyk B (2013) A global infrageneric classification system for the genus Crotalaria (Leguminosae) based on molecular and morphological evidence. Taxon 62:957–971

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis G, Schrire B, Mackinder B, Lock M (2005) Legumes of the world. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew

    Google Scholar 

  • Lipow SR, Wyatt R (1999) Floral morphology and late-acting self-incompatibility in Apocynum cannabinum (Apocynaceae). Plant Syst Evol 219:99–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lipow SR, Wyatt R (2000) Single gene control of post-zygotic self-incompatibility in poke milkweed, Asclepias exaltata L. Genetics 154:893–907

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall AJ (2002) Sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) as an organic amendment in crop production. Dissertation, University of Florida

  • Mitra GC (1970) Mode of reproduction in sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). Broter Scria Nat 39(1–2):80–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan KV (1971) Out-crossing in sunnhemp. Indian J Genet Plant Breed 31:395–396

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayak KG, Davidar P (2010) Pollination and breeding systems of woody plant species in tropical dry evergreen forests, southern India. Flora 205:745–753

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nayar MP, Sastry ARK (1987) Red data book of Indian plants, vol 1. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill S (1997) Pollination regulation of flower development. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Mol Biol 48:547–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patel MK, Kamath MN (1950) Control of plant diseases through disease resistance in Bombay. Poona Agric Coll Mag 40:6–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Polhill RM (1982) Crotalaria in Africa and Madagascar. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

    Google Scholar 

  • Primo LM, Machado IC (2009) A new case of late-acting self-incompatibility in Capparis L. (Brassicaceae): C. jacobinae Moric. ex Eichler, an endemic andromonoecious species of the Caatinga, Pernambuco State, Brazil. Acta Bot Bras 23(3):764–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prychid CJ, Owens SJ, Rudall PJ (1998) Fruit and seed set in Strongylodon macrobotrys. In: Owens SJ, Rudall PJ (eds) Reproductive biology in systematics, conservation and economic botany. RBG Kew, London, pp 345–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Purseglove JW (1968) Tropical crops. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotar PP, Joy RJ (1983) ‘Tropic Sun’ sunnhemp, Crotalaria juncea L. Research extension series 036. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii, Honolulu

  • Royle JF (1984) The fibrous plants of India fitted for cordage, clothing and paper with an account of the cultivation and preparation of flax, hemp and their substitutes. Periodical Experts Book Agency, Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Sage TL, Price MV, Waser NM (2006) Self-sterility in Ipomopsis aggregata (Polemoniaceae) is due to prezygotic ovule degeneration. Am J Bot 93(2):254–262

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar SK, Hazra SK, Sen HS, Karmakar PG, Tripathi MK (2015) Sunnhemp in India. ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore

    Google Scholar 

  • Seavey SR, Bawa KS (1986) Late-acting self-incompatibility in Angiosperms. Bot Rev 52:195–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sibichen MT, Nampy S (2007) Crotalaria kurisumalayana Sibichen & Nampy (Fabaceae), a new species from India. Candollea 62(1):105–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Simón-Porcar VI, de Castro A, Herrero M, Arroyo J (2015) Ovarian self-incompatibility in Narcissus papyraceus (Amaryllidaceae) is the result of a pre-zygotic response. Bot J Linn Soc 177:629–643

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sogo A, Tobe H (2006) Mode of pollen-tube growth in pistils of Myrica rubra (Myricaceae): a comparison with related families. Ann Bot 97:71–77

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • SPSS Inc. (2007) Released. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0. SPSS Inc., Chicago

  • Subramaniam S, Pandey AK, Geeta R, Mort ME (2013) Molecular systematics of Indian Crotalaria (Fabaceae) based on analyses of nuclear ribosomal ITS DNA sequences. Plant Syst Evol 299:1089–1106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tupy J (1961) Changes in glucose and fructose level in Nicotiana alata styles and ovaries accompanying compatible and incompatible pollen tube growth. Biol Plant 3:1–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • White GA, Haun JR (1965) Growing Crotalaria juncea, a multi-purpose fibre legume for paper pulp. Econ Bot 19:175–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yost R, Evans D (1988) Green manure and legume covers in the tropics. CTAHR research series 055

  • Zeisler M (1938) Uber die abgrenzung der eigentlichen narbenfläche nut hilfe von reaktionen. Beih Zum Bot Zentralblatta 58:308–318

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Director ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore for providing resources and facilities for conducting the experiment. We also acknowledge Dr. S. K. Pandey for extending assistance in conducting of field experiment and Dr. P. Satya for providing access to the fluorescent microscope in his lab.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700120, India

    Maruthi Rangappa Thimmaiah, Shashi Bhushan Choudhary, Hariom Kumar Sharma, Arroju Anil Kumar, Hemraj Bhandari, Jiban Mitra & Pran Gobinda Karmakar

Authors
  1. Maruthi Rangappa Thimmaiah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shashi Bhushan Choudhary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hariom Kumar Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Arroju Anil Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hemraj Bhandari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jiban Mitra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Pran Gobinda Karmakar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maruthi Rangappa Thimmaiah.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in the manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rangappa Thimmaiah, M., Choudhary, S.B., Sharma, H.K. et al. Late-acting self-incompatibility: a barrier to self-fertilization in sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). Euphytica 214, 19 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2096-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2096-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation