Female and male sterility cause low fruit set in a clone of the 'Trevatt' variety of apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

This study investigated ovule and anther structure of the 'Trevatt Blue' va riety of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) using bright field microscopy following reports of low fruit set. Ovules and anthers from fertile 'Moorpark' and ' Trevatt Knight' flowers were compared with those of the 'Trevatt Blue'. In the 'Moorpark' and 'Trevatt Knight' ovules, all reproductive structures wer e present including embryo sacs with a complete set of eight nuclei and the anthers contained mature pollen grains. Multiple ovules which were small a nd retarded in development were present in the 'Trevatt Blue' apricot flowe rs and the anthers contained degenerated microspores, with some failure in tapetal breakdown. This is the first report of a simultaneous mutation in b oth female and male function in apricot. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.