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Pollinating figs with other species for common seeds.

I read this:

9. Female trees may also produce apomictic seeds--i.e. without pollination and subsequent fertilization. In general there are two main types of apomixis:

[1] Parthenogenesis (agamogenesis): A haploid or diploid egg within the embryo sac (or diploid cell from 2 fused haploid cells of embryo sac) develops into an embryo. [Formation of haploid cells may involve crossing over during Prophase I of meiosis resulting in some genetic variability.]

[2] Agamospermy: An embryo arises from tissue surrounding the embryo sac. If this involves cells of the nucellus or inner integument it is called a nucellar embryo. Nucellar embryos are chromosomally identical to the sporophyte parent. They are essentially clones of the female tree. Apomictic seeds allow propagation of choice edible fig cultivars (female trees) without the transmission of viruses through cuttings.

And became very interested in what was happening then found these abstracts (from articles I do not want to pay for):

                                Ficus carica and F. afganistanica, pollinated by plants of other genera, for instance Morus alba or a Broussonetia sp, produced fruit with viable seeds. The apomictic seedlings raised from the seed bore no resemblance to their pollen parent, had the usual chromosome number (2n = 26) and were fertile Considerable variability in biological and morphological characters was observed between the ♀ parent and its progeny and among the progeny itself.

Application of foreign pollen or physiologically active substances to the flowers of Ficus carica resulted in the apomictic development of embryos. Viable seeds were obtained and three generations of apomictic seedlings were raised which differed in morphological and biological characters. Useful forms were selected in the first and second generations.

Apomictic seeds were obtained after treating the flowers of F. carica, the Afghanistan fig and F. pseudocarica with pollen from Morus, Maclura and Broussonetia or with certain physiologically active compounds. Only nine out of 60 varieties tested were prone to induced apomixis. A study of apomictic seedlings over three generations showed their dissimilarity to the maternal plants and the great variation of different characters within each family. Seedlings of F. carica (2n = 56) had two genomes, like the maternal variety; seedlings of the Afghanistan fig (2n = 39) had three or four genomes.

Facultative apomixis in Ficus afganistanica was demonstrated and the development of embryos from elements of the egg apparatus and cells of the nucellus is described. F. afganistanica and some apomictic seedlings obtained by pollination with Moms alba pollen and treatment with penicillin had 2n = 39. A method of culturing apomictic Ficus embryos in vitro was developed.

I am not sure exactly what all that means but I am going to give it a shot this year. Mulberries have already flowered here but the osage trees flower in June. Anyone have any advice? I have not found any info other than what is listed.


This is a very interesting topic and appreciate that this curious phenomenon is being thought about.    There is another posting about this topic http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4726004&highlight=apomixis that may have additional useful information.   I have not had enough time to investigate this further but would certainly like to know if anyone has knowingly created or planted apomictic seeds.    This is certainly an amazing possibility.


Ingevald

Hi Ingevald, I saw the post at GW, but your F4F thread did not show up in any of my Google searches. I wish I saw them before the mulberry trees flowered!
I cannot believe that no-one is trying this. At the rate of 9 varieties out of 60 producing apomictic seeds; I will need some luck to get seeds from my few varieties at production size.
If you or anyone else wants osage orange pollen I would be happy to send some once it is available.

I would really like to know more about the chemicals mentioned, as well as the variability of different pollens etc. Diatomaceous earth seems like it would be worth trying, as well as other types of pollen.

Hi Brent,
Just curious if you had any luck.  Something I'm very interested in trying too at some point.
Thanks

No, 2011 was a rotten year for figs and I think all of the ones I tried pollinating soured along with the rest. I have not tried since. 

Sorry to hear it, but thank you for the update. 

I'm interested in some common figs set back to their juvenile state.  I may pick up some tissue culture plants as it seems like the plant hormones they use do that when they set the cells back to an undifferentiated state to form the callus.

Hi GregMartin,
Did you miss my "fig pollination mythkill" post ?
You have some reading then :)
By the way, it is time for me to update it a bit ...

Ahh, I forgot about that post jdsfrance.  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/fig-pollination-myth-kill-6717719
Thank you.  Looking forward to your next update.

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