Morphological Characteristics of a Doubled Haploid Line from ‘Banpeiyu’ Pummelo [Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.] and Its Reproductive Function

Abstract

To obtain basic information about doubled haploid plants in Citrus, in the present study, we investigated the morphological characteristics in doubled haploid induced by colchicine-treated axillary shoot buds of a haploid plant from ‘Banpeiyu’ pummelo [C. maxima (Burm.) Merr.]. We also evaluated the reproductive potential of the doubled haploid as a male or a female parent by crossing with some diploids. In term of the results, this doubled haploid had significantly large leaf, flower and fruit compared with those of the original haploid plant. Moreover, the doubled haploid showed higher pollen fertility (84.1% stainability and 32.9% pollen germination rate) and a larger number of seeds (47.2 developed seeds per open-pollinated fruit) than the haploid. In the reciprocal crosses between the doubled haploid and some diploids, many developed seeds were obtained. These seeds germinated normally and developed into diploid seedlings. These results show that the doubled haploid will be valuable for genetic analysis and possibly for planned breeding.