Strict paternal inheritance of chloroplast DNA and maternal inheritance ofmitochondrial DNA in intraspecific crosses of kiwifruit

Previous studies have established that chloroplasts are inherited paternall y in Actinidia interspecific crosses. However, fertilisation problems in in terspecific crosses may affect the transmission of organelles. Six female c lones, i.e. 'Abbott', 'Bruno', 'Greensill', 'Hayward', 'Jones', 'Monty', an d four male clones were used to identify cpDNA polymorphisms within the cul tivated kiwifruit species A. deliciosa. The restriction patterns by HpaII o f a chloroplast fragment amplified by PCR with a pair of universal primers revealed a polymorphism at the intraspecific level. The inheritance of cpDN A in 143 seedlings from three intraspecific crosses in kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) was studied. All offspring displayed the restriction pattern of the paternal parent, indicating that maternal inheritance of cpDNA in kiwi fruit is rare at best. Strict maternal inheritance of mtDNA was confirmed i n the same crosses used to investigate cpDNA transmission. Studies of cytop lasmic inheritance in the Actinidia genus represent to date the best docume nted report of differential organelle inheritance of cpDNA and mtDNA in ang iosperms.