Reproductive Biology and Field Performance of New Uruguayan Promising Mandarins
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31285/AGRO.30.1914Keywords:
soluble carbohydrates, flowering, fruit set, gibberellin, parthenocarpy, yieldAbstract
Three promising new mandarin hybrids from the Uruguayan Citrus Breeding Program offer the organoleptic and quality standards demanded by the premium fresh citrus market. This study aimed to characterize the reproductive biology, parthenocarpic capacity, and field performance of F4P7, F3P8, and F2P3 genotypes to assess their suitability for seedless fruit production. For this purpose, pollen tube growth was evaluated under self-pollination, and potential limiting factors of fruit set and their type of parthenocarpy were evaluated. In addition, sprouting, flowering, and yield under open-pollination were studied. All three genotypes exhibited gametophytic self-incompatibility. Besides, these genotypes exhibited facultative autonomous parthenocarpy and low parthenocarpic capacity. Specifically, seedless fruits were produced only when compatible pollination was absent; moreover, parthenocarpic fruit set was not stimulated by self-pollination and remained lower than that observed under open-pollination conditions. Our results revealed that fruit set limitations were associated with insufficient GA₁ and soluble carbohydrate levels in the ovary during early fruit development. Cross-pollination significantly enhanced GA₁ levels and carbohydrate accumulation in the ovary, thereby improving fruit set and increasing the number of seeded fruits. Field performance showed year-to-year yield variability, with flowering intensity correlating with yield in F4P7 and F3P8. Conversely, F2P3 displayed more stable production and greater variations in shoot-type distribution across different flowering levels. Our findings highlight that preventing cross-pollination via bee-proof netting or spatial isolation is essential for seedless fruit production. In addition, agronomic practices aimed at increasing bioactive gibberellin levels and soluble carbohydrates availability are required to ensure consistent high yield in these genotypes.
Downloads
References
Agustí, M., & Primo-Millo, E. (2020). Flowering and fruit set. In M. Talon, M. Caruso & F. G. Gmitter, Jr. (Eds.),The Genus Citrus (pp. 219-244). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812163-4.00011-5
Agustí, M., Reig, C., Martínez-Fuentes, A., & Mesejo, C. (2022). Advances in citrus flowering: A review. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, Article 868831. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.868831
Agustí, M., Zaragoza, S., Bleiholder, H., Buhr, L., Hack, H., Klose, R., & Stauß, R. (1997). Adaptation de l’échelle BBCH à la description des stades phénologiques des agrumes du genre Citrus. Fruits, 52(5), 287-295.
Aloisi, I., Distefano, G., Antognoni, F., Potente, G., Parrotta, L., Faleri, C., Gentile, A., Bennici, S., Mareri, L., Cai, G., & Del Duca, S. (2020). Temperature-dependent compatible and incompatible pollen-style interactions in Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan. show different transglutaminase features and polyamine pattern. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, Article 1018. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.01018
Altamirano, A., Da Silva, H., Echevarría, A., Panario, D., & Puentes, R. (1976). Carta de reconocimiento de suelos del Uruguay. MAP.
Bassal, M. A. (2009). Growth, yield and fruit quality of “Marisol” clementine grown on four rootstocks in Egypt. Scientia Horticulturae, 119(2), 132-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2008.07.020
Ben-Cheikh, W., Perez-Botella, J., Tadeo, F. R., Talon, M., & Primo-Millo, E. (1997). Pollination increases gibberellin levels in developing ovaries of seeded varieties of citrus. Plant Physiology, 114, 557-564. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.114.2.557
Bermejo, A., Martínez-Alcántara, B., Martínez-Cuenca, M. R., Yuste, R., Mesejo, C., Reig, C., Agustí, M., Primo-Millo, E., & Iglesias, D. J. (2016). Biosynthesis and contents of gibberellins in seeded and seedless sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) cultivars. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 35, 1036-1048. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-016-9602-5
Bermejo, A., Primo-Millo, E., Agustí, M., Mesejo, C., Reig, C., & Iglesias, D. J. (2015). Hormonal profile in ovaries of mandarin varieties with differing reproductive behaviour. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 34(3), 584-594. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-015-9492-y
Brewbaker, J. L., & Kwack, B. H. (1963). The essential role of calcium ion in pollen germination and pollen tube growth. American Journal of Botany, 50(9), 859-865. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1537-2197.1963.tb06564.x
Caruso, M., Smith, M. W., Froelicher, Y., Russo, G., & Gmitter, F. G. (2020). Traditional breeding. In M. Talon, M. Caruso & F. G. Gmitter, Jr. (Eds.),The Genus Citrus (pp. 129-148). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812163-4.00007-3
Castaño, J. P., Giménez, A., Ceroni, M., Furest, J., & Aunchayna, R. (2011). Caracterización agroclimática del Uruguay 1980-2009. INIA.
Chao, C. C. T., Fang, J., & Devanand, P. (2005). Long distance pollen floe in mandarin orchards determined by AFLP markers implications for seedless mandarin protection. Journal of American Society for Horticultural Science, 130(3), 374-380. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.130.3.374
de Nettancourt, D. (1997). Incompatibility in angiosperms. Sexual Plant Reproduction, 10(4), 185-199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004970050087
de Nettancourt, D. (2001). The basic features of self-incompatibility. In D. de Nettancourt (Ed.), Incompatibility and incongruity in wild and cultivated plants (2nd ed., pp. 1-23). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04502-2
Distefano, G., Hedhly, A., Las Casas, G., La Malfa, S., Herrero, M., & Gentile, A. (2012). Male-female interaction and temperature variation affect pollen performance in Citrus. Scientia Horticulturae, 140, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2012.03.011
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (n.d.). Faostat. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data
Gambetta, G., Gravina, A., Fasiolo, C., Fornero, C., Galiger, S., Inzaurralde, C., & Rey, F. (2013). Self-incompatibility, parthenocarpy and reduction of seed presence in “Afourer” mandarin. Scientia Horticulturae, 164, 183-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2013.09.002
Gambetta, G., Guimaraes, N., Rivas, F., Mautone, A., Hernández, F., Ramos, S., Carrera, E., López-Diaz, I., & Gravina, A. (2026). Regulation of parthenocarpic fruit set in novel seedless triploid and diploid mandarins. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 24(2), Article 21849. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2026242-21849
Goldschmidt, E. E. (1999). Carbohydrate supply as a critical factor for citrus fruit development and productivity. HortScience, 34(6), 1020-1024. https://doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.34.6.1020
Gravina, A., Arbiza, H., Arias, M., & Ronca, F. (1997). Estudio de la floración en el tangor “Ellendale” (Citrus sinensis L. osb. x C. reticulata Bl.) y su relación con el cuajado de frutos y productividad. Agrociencia Uruguay, 1(1), 55-59. https://doi.org/10.31285/AGRO.01.1084
Gravina, A., Juan, M., Arbiza, H., Almela, V., Coelli, V., & Agustí, M. (1998). Respuesta productiva del tangor Ellendale (Citrus sinensis L. Osb. x C. reticulata Bl.) a diferentes fechas de anillado. Agrociencia Uruguay, 2(1), 112-116. https://doi.org/10.31285/AGRO.02.1147
Iglesias, D. J., Tadeo, F. R., Primo-Millo, E., & Talon, M. (2003). Fruit set dependence on carbohydrate availability in citrus trees. Tree Physiology, 23(3), 199-204. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/23.3.199
Irenaeus, K. S. T., & Mitra, S. K. (2014). Understanding the pollen and ovule characters and fruit set of fruit crops in relation to temperature and genotype: A review. Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality, 87, 157-167. https://doi.org/10.5073/JABFQ.2014.087.023
Kahn, T. L., & DeMason, D. A. (1988). Citrus pollen tube development in cross-compatible gynoecia, self-incompatible gynoecia, and in vitro. Canadian Journal of Botany, 66(12), 2527-2532. https://doi.org/10.1139/b88-344
Köppen, W. (1918). Classification of climates according to temperature, precipitation and seasonal cycle. Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen, 63, 193-203.
Liang, M., Cao, Z., Zhu, A., Liu, Y., Tao, M., Yang, H., Xu, Q., Wang, S., Liu, J., Li, Y., Chen, C., Xie, Z., Deng, C., Ye, J., Guo, W., Xu, Q., Xia, R., Larkin, R. M., Deng, X., … Chai, L. (2020). Evolution of self-compatibility by a mutant Sm -RNase in citrus. Nature Plants, 6(2), 131-142. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-020-0597-3
Mahouachi, J., Iglesias, D. J., Agustí, M., & Talon, M. (2009). Delay of early fruitlet abscission by branch girdling in citrus coincides with previous increases in carbohydrate and gibberellin concentrations. Plant Growth Regulation, 58(1), 15-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-008-9348-6
Mesejo, C., Martínez-Fuentes, A., Reig, C., & Agustí, M. (2007). The effective pollination period in “Clemenules” mandarin, “Owari” Satsuma mandarin and “Valencia” sweet orange. Plant Science, 173(2), 223-230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2007.05.009
Mesejo, C., Yuste, R., Martínez-Fuentes, A., Reig, C., Iglesias, D. J., Primo-Millo, E., & Agustí, M. (2013). Self-pollination and parthenocarpic ability in developing ovaries of self-incompatible clementine mandarins (Citrus clementina). Physiologia Plantarum, 148, 87-96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.2012.01697.x
Mesejo, C., Yuste, R., Reig, C., Martínez-Fuentes, A., Iglesias, D. J., Muñoz-Fambuena, N., Bermejo, A., Germanà, M. A., Primo-Millo, E., & Agustí, M. (2016). Gibberellin reactivates and maintains ovary-wall cell division causing fruit set in parthenocarpic Citrus species. Plant Science, 247, 13-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2016.02.018
Montalt, R., Cuenca, J., Vives, M. C., Navarro, L., Ollitrault, P., & Aleza, P. (2019). Influence of temperature on the progamic phase in Citrus. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 166, Article 103806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2019.103806
Montalt, R., Prósper, L., Vives, M. C., Navarro, L., Ollitrault, P., & Aleza, P. (2022). Breakdown of self-Incompatibility in citrus by temperature stress, bud pollination and polyploidization. Agriculture, 12(2), Article 273. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020273
Olimpieri, I., Siligato, F., Caccia, R., Mariotti, L., Ceccarelli, N., Soressi, G. P., & Mazzucato, A. (2007). Tomato fruit set driven by pollination or by the parthenocarpic fruit allele are mediated by transcriptionally regulated gibberellin biosynthesis. Planta, 226(4), 877-888. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0533-z
Pearce, S. C., & Doberšek-Urbanc, S. (1967). The measurement of irregularity in growth and cropping. Journal of Horticultural Science, 42, 295-305. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221589.1967.11514216
Rivas, F., Erner, Y., Alós, E., Juan, M., Almela, V., & Agustí, M. (2006). Girdling increases carbohydrate availability and fruit-set in citrus cultivars irrespective of parthenocarpic ability. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, 81(2), 289-295. https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2006.11512064
Rivas, F., & Vignale, B. (2015). Nuevas oportunidades varietales de Citrus para la mejora de la competitividad. In Resultados de Investigación en Citricultura (pp. 8-12). INIA. https://ainfo.inia.uy/digital/bitstream/item/9897/1/SAD-752.-p.8-12.pdf
Saini, R., Ranjit, A., Sharma, K., Prasad, P., Shang, X., Gowda, K., & Keum, Y.-S. (2022). Bioactive compounds of citrus fruits: A review of composition and health benefits of carotenoids, flavonoids, limonoids, and terpenes. Antioxidants, 11, Article 239. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11020239
Seo, M., Jikumaru, Y., & Kamiya, T. (2011). Profiling of hormones and related metabolites in seed dormancy and germination studies. In A. R. Kermode (Ed.), Seed dormancy: Methods and protocols, methods in molecular biology (pp. 99-111). Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-231-1_7
Singh, R. J. (2001). The handling of plant chromosomes. In R. J. Singh (Ed.), Plant cytogenetics (2nd ed., pp. 11-46). CRC Press.
Soost, R. K. (1965). Incompatibility alleles in the genus Citrus. Proceedings of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 87, 176-180.
Spreen, T. H., Gao, Z., Fernandes, W., & Zansler, M. L. (2020). Global economics and marketing of citrus products. In M. Talon, M. Caruso & F. G. Gmitter, Jr. (Eds.),The Genus Citrus (pp. 471-493). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812163-4.00023-1
Sykes, S. R. (2008). Segregation in an “Imperial” mandarin X “Ellendale” tangor family for characteristics that contribute to the seedless phenotype. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, 83(6), 719-724. https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2008.11512450
Tadeo, F. R., Iglesias, D. J., & Primo-Millo, E. (2003). Histología y citología de cítricos. Generalitat Valenciana.
Talón, M., Zacarias, L., & Primo-Millo, E. (1992). Gibberellins and parthenocarpic ability in developing ovaries of seedless mandarins. Plant Physiology, 99(4), 1575-1581. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.99.4.1575
Vardi, A., Levin, I., & Carmi, N. (2008). Induction of seedlessness in citrus: From classical techniques to emerging biotechnological approaches. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 133(1), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.21273/jashs.133.1.117
Zhang, S., Liang, M., Wang, N., Xu, Q., Deng, X., & Chai, L. (2018). Reproduction in woody perennial citrus: an update on nucellar embryony and self-incompatibility. Plant Reproduction, 31(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-018-0327-4
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Agrociencia Uruguay
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
| Article metrics | |
|---|---|
| Abstract views | |
| Galley views | |
| PDF Views | |
| HTML views | |
| Other views | |
