Incompatibility in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.): methodological considerations

The recent introduction of new self-incompatible varieties of apricot has required further research on the extent of self-incompatibility in apricot and its genetic determinism. The different laboratory and field techniques utilized to date for incompatibility studies in apricot have often given markedly diverging results, leading to difficulty of interpretation. The purpose of this study was therefore to make a critical assessment of the reliability of the various methods, to obtain a more precise tool for compatibility studies. Forty-eight apricot crosses were assessed over a two-year period and the results compared using the normal field techniques (active pollination without bagging, active pollination with bagging and passive pollination) and laboratory tests (fluorescence test). The present study reports on some aspects of the different techniques and offers methodological suggestions for improved practical application of the various tests