Wide Crosses and Pollen Contamination in Strawberry1

Abstract

‘Surecrop’ strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) pollinated with Rubus pollen with and without application of indoleacetic acid (IAA) produced small amount of viable seed but resulting plants were segregating, octaploid strawberries. Small amount of seed were also consistently produced on emasculated, covered control flowers. Contamination was considered the most likely explanation because no viable seed was produced with wide crosses, with or without auxin applications, using a pistillate clone under isolation. Seed set increased on emasculated uncovered flowers in the greenhouse with proximity to pollen source and increased exposure to air currents.