Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription Aspects
This study evaluated the influence of different male date palm cultivars, distinguished by their chloroplast haplotypes, on pollen quality, pollination efficiency, metaxenia effects, and gene expression during fruit development. Chloroplast DNA analysis of 37 male trees revealed multiple haplotypes,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Horticulturae |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/7/865 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849303488548306944 |
|---|---|
| author | Hammadi Hamza Mohamed Ali Benabderrahim Achwak Boualleg Federico Sebastiani Faouzi Haouala Mokhtar Rejili |
| author_facet | Hammadi Hamza Mohamed Ali Benabderrahim Achwak Boualleg Federico Sebastiani Faouzi Haouala Mokhtar Rejili |
| author_sort | Hammadi Hamza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study evaluated the influence of different male date palm cultivars, distinguished by their chloroplast haplotypes, on pollen quality, pollination efficiency, metaxenia effects, and gene expression during fruit development. Chloroplast DNA analysis of 37 male trees revealed multiple haplotypes, from which cultivars B25, P8, C22, and B46 were selected for further investigation. Pollen viability varied significantly among cultivars, with P8 and B25 exhibiting the highest germination rates and pollen tube elongation, while C22 showed the lowest. These differences correlated with pollination success: P8 and B25 achieved fertilization rates near 99%, whereas C22 remained below 43%. Pollination outcomes also varied in fruit traits. Despite its low pollen performance, C22 induced the production of larger fruits at the Bleh (Kimri) stage, potentially due to compensatory physiological mechanisms. Phytochemical profiling revealed significant cultivar effects: fruits from B25-pollinated trees had with lower moisture and polyphenol content but the higher sugar levels and soluble solids, suggesting accelerated maturation. Ripening patterns confirmed this finding, with B25 promoting the earliest ripening and B46 causing the most delayed. Gene expression analysis supported these phenotypic differences. Fruits pollinated by P8, B25, and B46 exhibited elevated levels of cell-division-related transcripts, particularly the <i>PdCD_1</i> gene (PDK_XM_008786146.4, a gene encoding a cell division control protein), which was most abundant in P8. In contrast, fruits from C22-pollinated trees had the lowest expression of growth-related genes, suggesting a shift toward cell expansion rather than division. Overall, the results show the critical role of male genotype in influencing fertilization outcomes and fruit development, offering valuable insights for targeted breeding strategies at enhancing date palm productivity and fruit quality. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5cda572ec77b44c69a98ceed61f4d0cc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj-art-5cda572ec77b44c69a98ceed61f4d0cc2025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242025-07-0111786510.3390/horticulturae11070865Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription AspectsHammadi Hamza0Mohamed Ali Benabderrahim1Achwak Boualleg2Federico Sebastiani3Faouzi Haouala4Mokhtar Rejili5Arid and Oases Cropping Laboratory LR16IRA02, Arid Lands Institute, Medenine 4119, TunisiaArid and Oases Cropping Laboratory LR16IRA02, Arid Lands Institute, Medenine 4119, TunisiaArid and Oases Cropping Laboratory LR16IRA02, Arid Lands Institute, Medenine 4119, TunisiaInstitute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Biology, College of Sciences, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biology, College of Sciences, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi ArabiaThis study evaluated the influence of different male date palm cultivars, distinguished by their chloroplast haplotypes, on pollen quality, pollination efficiency, metaxenia effects, and gene expression during fruit development. Chloroplast DNA analysis of 37 male trees revealed multiple haplotypes, from which cultivars B25, P8, C22, and B46 were selected for further investigation. Pollen viability varied significantly among cultivars, with P8 and B25 exhibiting the highest germination rates and pollen tube elongation, while C22 showed the lowest. These differences correlated with pollination success: P8 and B25 achieved fertilization rates near 99%, whereas C22 remained below 43%. Pollination outcomes also varied in fruit traits. Despite its low pollen performance, C22 induced the production of larger fruits at the Bleh (Kimri) stage, potentially due to compensatory physiological mechanisms. Phytochemical profiling revealed significant cultivar effects: fruits from B25-pollinated trees had with lower moisture and polyphenol content but the higher sugar levels and soluble solids, suggesting accelerated maturation. Ripening patterns confirmed this finding, with B25 promoting the earliest ripening and B46 causing the most delayed. Gene expression analysis supported these phenotypic differences. Fruits pollinated by P8, B25, and B46 exhibited elevated levels of cell-division-related transcripts, particularly the <i>PdCD_1</i> gene (PDK_XM_008786146.4, a gene encoding a cell division control protein), which was most abundant in P8. In contrast, fruits from C22-pollinated trees had the lowest expression of growth-related genes, suggesting a shift toward cell expansion rather than division. Overall, the results show the critical role of male genotype in influencing fertilization outcomes and fruit development, offering valuable insights for targeted breeding strategies at enhancing date palm productivity and fruit quality.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/7/865date palmmaleselectionchlorotypefertilitymetaxenia |
| spellingShingle | Hammadi Hamza Mohamed Ali Benabderrahim Achwak Boualleg Federico Sebastiani Faouzi Haouala Mokhtar Rejili Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription Aspects Horticulturae date palm male selection chlorotype fertility metaxenia |
| title | Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription Aspects |
| title_full | Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription Aspects |
| title_fullStr | Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription Aspects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription Aspects |
| title_short | Male Date Palm Chlorotype Selection Based on Fertility, Metaxenia, and Transcription Aspects |
| title_sort | male date palm chlorotype selection based on fertility metaxenia and transcription aspects |
| topic | date palm male selection chlorotype fertility metaxenia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/7/865 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hammadihamza maledatepalmchlorotypeselectionbasedonfertilitymetaxeniaandtranscriptionaspects AT mohamedalibenabderrahim maledatepalmchlorotypeselectionbasedonfertilitymetaxeniaandtranscriptionaspects AT achwakboualleg maledatepalmchlorotypeselectionbasedonfertilitymetaxeniaandtranscriptionaspects AT federicosebastiani maledatepalmchlorotypeselectionbasedonfertilitymetaxeniaandtranscriptionaspects AT faouzihaouala maledatepalmchlorotypeselectionbasedonfertilitymetaxeniaandtranscriptionaspects AT mokhtarrejili maledatepalmchlorotypeselectionbasedonfertilitymetaxeniaandtranscriptionaspects |