A proposed model for inheritance of primocane fruiting in tetraploid erect blackberry

Abstract

Inheritance of the primocane-fruiting (PF) characteristic was studied in seedling populations of tetraploid (4x) blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus). Four selections (A-1836, A-593, A-830, and A-1680) and two cultivars ('Arapaho' and 'Shawnee') were used as parents in a full diallel crossing scheme. Selection A-593 was used as the main source for PF due to its origin ('Brazos' x 'Hillquist,' the latter an old PF cultivar). All parents except 'Shawnee' have A-593 in their parentage; among the parents, only A-1836 fully expresses PF. Selfing of A-1836 resulted in 100% PF offspring, indicating that A-1836 is homozygous for this trait. Selfing of A-593, A-830, and 'Arapaho' produced either a 35:1 or a 20.8:1 FF (floricane or summer-fruiting):PF segregation ratio, fitting a tetrasomic inheritance model under either random chromosome assortment (RCSA) or random chromatid assortment (RCTA), respectively, also suggesting that PF is controlled by a single recessive gene and that the parents are duplex (AAaa) for this trait. Selection A-1680 and 'Shawnee' selfed did not produce PF progeny, but when crossed with the nulliplex A-1836, gave a 27:1 FF:PF ratio, indicating RCTA and that they are triplex (AAAa) for PF. According to these research, both gametic outputs (RCSA and RCTA) seem to operate in 4x blackberry. The intensity in expression of PF had a negative relationship with time to harvest, with those seedlings showing the highest PF scores producing a crop in early to mid-August. This knowledge will be helpful in implementing breeding strategies to produce PF blackberry cultivars.