Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)
Southern highbush blueberry (SHB, Vaccinium corymbosum, Ericaceae) enables production in warm, low-chill regions, where breeding success depends on precisely timed pollinations. To support breeding in non-traditional environments, we characterized floral staging, anther wall ontogeny, tubule formati...
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| Format: | Artículo |
| Language: | Inglés |
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MDPI
2025
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24491 https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/11/1278 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111278 |
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| author | Recalde, José María Garavello, Miguel Fernando Alayon Luaces, Paula González, Ana María |
| author_browse | Alayon Luaces, Paula Garavello, Miguel Fernando González, Ana María Recalde, José María |
| author_facet | Recalde, José María Garavello, Miguel Fernando Alayon Luaces, Paula González, Ana María |
| author_sort | Recalde, José María |
| collection | INTA Digital |
| description | Southern highbush blueberry (SHB, Vaccinium corymbosum, Ericaceae) enables production in warm, low-chill regions, where breeding success depends on precisely timed pollinations. To support breeding in non-traditional environments, we characterized floral staging, anther wall ontogeny, tubule formation, and pollen development in two SHB cultivars (‘Emerald’, ‘Snowchaser’) grown in commercial orchards. Floral development was divided into seven stages: dormant buds (db), five successive floral-bud stages (botA–botE), and anthesis, based on bud size, corolla exposure and pigmentation, and anther/tubule coloration. Internal events were documented by light, confocal, and scanning electron microscopy. External cues reliably separated stages and tracked male-gametophyte phases: meiosis at botB; callose-encased tetrads at botC; permanent tetrahedral tetrads after callose dissolution at botD; bicellular tetrads from botE to anthesis, released intact via poricidal dehiscence. Anther-wall differentiation followed a consistent sequence and lacked a fibrous, lignified endothecium. We therefore propose a new Ericaceous pattern for blueberry anthers, defined by a transient non-lignified subepidermal stratum. Tubules originated apically as solid outgrowths, hollowed centrifugally to a beveled pore, developed a dorsal supportive zone, and mediated poricidal release of permanent tetrads. No qualitative cultivar differences were detected. The staging framework defines operational windows for pollination, emasculation, and pollen handling in low-chill systems. |
| format | Artículo |
| id | INTA24491 |
| institution | Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA -Argentina) |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| publisherStr | MDPI |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | INTA244912025-11-06T13:33:56Z Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) Recalde, José María Garavello, Miguel Fernando Alayon Luaces, Paula González, Ana María Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush Blueberries Pollen Anthers Biological Development Arándanos Highbush Polen Antera Desarrollo Biológico Southern highbush blueberry (SHB, Vaccinium corymbosum, Ericaceae) enables production in warm, low-chill regions, where breeding success depends on precisely timed pollinations. To support breeding in non-traditional environments, we characterized floral staging, anther wall ontogeny, tubule formation, and pollen development in two SHB cultivars (‘Emerald’, ‘Snowchaser’) grown in commercial orchards. Floral development was divided into seven stages: dormant buds (db), five successive floral-bud stages (botA–botE), and anthesis, based on bud size, corolla exposure and pigmentation, and anther/tubule coloration. Internal events were documented by light, confocal, and scanning electron microscopy. External cues reliably separated stages and tracked male-gametophyte phases: meiosis at botB; callose-encased tetrads at botC; permanent tetrahedral tetrads after callose dissolution at botD; bicellular tetrads from botE to anthesis, released intact via poricidal dehiscence. Anther-wall differentiation followed a consistent sequence and lacked a fibrous, lignified endothecium. We therefore propose a new Ericaceous pattern for blueberry anthers, defined by a transient non-lignified subepidermal stratum. Tubules originated apically as solid outgrowths, hollowed centrifugally to a beveled pore, developed a dorsal supportive zone, and mediated poricidal release of permanent tetrads. No qualitative cultivar differences were detected. The staging framework defines operational windows for pollination, emasculation, and pollen handling in low-chill systems. EEA Concordia Fil: Recalde, José María. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Concordia; Argentina Fil: Garavello, Miguel Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Concordia; Argentina Fil: Alayón Luaces, Paula. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Cátedra de Fruticultura; Argentina. Fil: González, Ana María. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Cátedra de Fruticultura; Argentina. Fil: González, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; Argentina Fil: González, Ana María. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; Argentina 2025-11-06T13:31:25Z 2025-11-06T13:31:25Z 2025-11 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24491 https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/11/1278 2311-7524 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111278 eng info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/2023-PE-L01-I105, Generación de conocimientos, tecnologías e innovaciones para una fruticultura sostenible adaptadas al riesgo ambiental y a la mecanización info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) application/pdf MDPI Horticulturae 11 (11) : 1278. (November 2025) |
| spellingShingle | Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush Blueberries Pollen Anthers Biological Development Arándanos Highbush Polen Antera Desarrollo Biológico Recalde, José María Garavello, Miguel Fernando Alayon Luaces, Paula González, Ana María Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) |
| title | Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) |
| title_full | Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) |
| title_fullStr | Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) |
| title_short | Anther Ontogeny and Pollen Development in Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) |
| title_sort | anther ontogeny and pollen development in southern highbush blueberry vaccinium corymbosum l |
| topic | Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush Blueberries Pollen Anthers Biological Development Arándanos Highbush Polen Antera Desarrollo Biológico |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24491 https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/11/1278 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111278 |
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