Pollen Fertility as a Means of Selecting Male-Parent Plants in Pineapple Breeding

Abstract

Pollen-fertility counts were made in five pineapple varieties and two selected seedlings, with the purpose of selecting the ones with high percentages of viable pollen grains as male parent plants. The varieties and selections used were Smooth Cayenne, Baron Rothschild, Red Spanish, Natal, Cabezona, 1B 13, and 7D 15. Among the varieties tested Baron Rothschild was the one with the highest percentage of viable pollen grains, followed by Smooth Cayenne. The rest were intermediate, except Cabezona which had the lowest percentage. The Cabezona variety is a triploid and triploid pineapples show, among other things, partial or complete sterility. Because of this it is a risk to use this variety as a male parent plant. Varieties with a high percentage of viable pollen should be used as male parent plants.