title: Self-sterility in Camellia oleifera may be due to the prezygotic late-acting self-incompatibility.
abstract: In this report, self-sterility in Camellia oleifera was explored by comparing structural and statistical characteristics following self-pollination (SP) and cross-pollination (CP). Although slightly delayed pollen germination and pollen tube growth in selfed ovaries compared to crossed ovaries was observed, there was no significant difference in the percentages of pollen that germinated and pollen tubes that grew to the base of the style. There was also no difference in morphological structure after the two pollination treatments. However, the proportions of ovule penetration and double fertilization in selfed ovules were significantly lower than in crossed ovules, indicating that a prezygotic late-acting self-incompatible mechanism may exist in C. oleifera. Callose deposition was observed in selfed abortive ovules, but not in normal. Ovules did not show differences in anatomic structure during embryonic development, whereas significant differences were observed in the final fruit and seed set. In addition, aborted ovules in selfed ovaries occurred within 35 days after SP and prior to zygote division. However, this process did not occur continuously throughout the life cycle, and no zygotes were observed in the selfed abortive ovules. These results indicated that the self-sterility in C. oleifera may be caused by prezygotic late-acting self-incompatibility (LSI).
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, The Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, The Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: De-Yi
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, The Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, The Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, The Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, The Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, The Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D028244:Camellia / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D018525:Germination; D051479:Plant Infertility; D011058:Pollen / Q000254:growth & development; D054817:Pollination