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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #217762
Title: Out-crossing in Florida avocados as measured using microsatellite markers

Author
item Borrone, James
item Tondo, Cecile
item Kuhn, David
item Brown, James
item Schnell Ii, Raymond
item VIOLI, HELEN

Submitted to: Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/13/2007
Publication Date: 1/12/2008
Citation: Borrone, J.W., Tondo, C.T., Kuhn, D.N., Brown, J.S., Schnell Ii, R.J., Violi, H.A. 2008. Out-crossing in Florida avocados as measured using microsatellite markers. J. Amer. Soc. Hort Sci. 133(2):255-261.

Interpretive Summary: Avocado fruit were obtained from a commercial orchard in Miami-Dade county, Florida. The orchard contains two avocado cultivars, Simmonds and Tonnage, interplanted with one another. Seeds were germinated, and eight DNA markers used to determine how many seedlings were the result of self-pollination of a single cultivar or the result of cross-pollination between two different cultivars. A significant percentage, 85 %, of the seedlings were the result of pollination between two different cultivars. Seedlings judged to be the result of cross-pollination between the avocado cultivars Simmonds and Tonnage are being maintained at the USDA-ARS, Subtropical Horticulture Research Station for further evaluation of important agronomic and horticultural traits.

Technical Abstract: Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) fruit were harvested from a commercial orchard in Miami-Dade county, Florida consisting of 'Simmonds' (Flowering Type A) and 'Tonnage' (Flowering Type B) interplanted with one another. Seeds were germinated, and the resulting progeny were genotyped using eight microsatellite markers to determine the percentage of out-crossing versus self-pollination. Seventy-four percent of the 'Simmonds' progeny and 96% of the 'Tonnage' progeny were judged to be the result of cross-pollination, with an estimated overall outcrossing rate of 63 % - 85 % within this particular block of the orchard. Seedlings judged to be the result of cross-pollinations between 'Simmonds' and 'Tonnage' are being maintained at the USDA-ARS, Subtropical Horticulture Research Station and evaluated for segregation of important agronomic and horticultural traits.