Cross Compatibility between Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and Wild Relatives

Abstract

Pollen tube growth behavior and success of interspecific crosses between eggplant and wild relatives were studied. Solanum gilo, S. insanum and S. integrifolium were found compatible to eggplant. S. indicum, as the male and female parent, produced mostly unfilled seeds with eggplant ‘Senryo 2 gou’. This species as seed parent produced about 50% filled seeds when it was pollinated by eggplant ‘Uttara’. Only pollination by ‘Senryo 2 gou’ produced a few viable seeds on S. surattense and S. xanthocarpum. Pollen tubes of S. mammosum grew normally in the pistils of ′Senryo 2 gou′ resulting 100% parthenocarpic fruit development. The ‘Uttara’ produced no parthenocarpic fruit, while the former cultivar produced parthenocarpic fruit with 8 different species. Failure or poor germination of pollen, retarded growth of pollen tubes, termination of pollen tube growth before reaching the ovary, weak fluorescence of the pollen tubes, irregular deposition and size of callose plugs, swollen and/or branched pollen tube apex alone or in combination were observed in most of the incompatible crosses.