Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae)
<i>O. ficus-indica</i> (prickly pear cactus) is an important forage and food source in arid and semiarid ecosystems and is the most important cactus species in cultivation globally. The high degree of apomixis in the species is a hindrance in plant breeding programs where genetic segrega...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/15/2758 |
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| author | Angela Carra Caterina Catalano Ranjith Pathirana Maurizio Sajeva Paolo Inglese Antonio Motisi Francesco Carimi |
| author_facet | Angela Carra Caterina Catalano Ranjith Pathirana Maurizio Sajeva Paolo Inglese Antonio Motisi Francesco Carimi |
| author_sort | Angela Carra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>O. ficus-indica</i> (prickly pear cactus) is an important forage and food source in arid and semiarid ecosystems and is the most important cactus species in cultivation globally. The high degree of apomixis in the species is a hindrance in plant breeding programs where genetic segregation is sought for the selection of superior genotypes. To understand if <i>in ovulo</i> embryo rescue could increase the proportion of zygotic seedlings, we compared the mature seed-derived seedlings with those regenerated from <i>in vitro</i> embryo rescue at 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 post-anthesis days (PADs) in four Italian cultivars. The seedlings were classified as apomictic or zygotic based on molecular marker analysis using inter-sequence single repeat (ISSR) primers. Multiple embryos were recovered from all the cultured immature ovules, and plantlets were regenerated and acclimatized to the field post hardening, with success rates ranging from 62% (‘Senza spine’) to 83% (‘Gialla’). The level of polyembryony differed among cultivars and recovery dates, with the highest being ‘Rossa’, producing 4.8 embryos/ovule at 35 PADs, and ‘Gialla’, the lowest, with 2.7 at 40 PADs. The maximum number of embryos observed within a single ovule was 14 in ‘Trunzara bianca’. ISSR analysis revealed that ovule culture at 35 PADs produced the highest percentage of zygotic seedlings in all the cultivars, from 51% (‘Rossa’) to 98% (‘Gialla’), with a high genotype effect as well. Mature seeds produced much fewer seedlings per seed, ranging from 1.2 in ‘Trunzara bianca’ to 2.0 in ‘Rossa’ and a lower percentage of zygotic seedlings (from 14% in ‘Rossa’ to 63% in ‘Gialla’). Our research opens a pathway to increase the availability of zygotic seedlings in <i>O. ficus-indica</i> breeding programs through <i>in ovulo</i> embryo culture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:19:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43f644f84d744fdb819bcf0cf591da96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:19:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-43f644f84d744fdb819bcf0cf591da962023-11-18T23:25:29ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-07-011215275810.3390/plants12152758Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae)Angela Carra0Caterina Catalano1Ranjith Pathirana2Maurizio Sajeva3Paolo Inglese4Antonio Motisi5Francesco Carimi6CNR—Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, ItalyCNR—Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, ItalyPlant & Food Research Australia Pty Ltd., #46 Plant Breeding, Waite Road, Urrbrae, SA 5064, AustraliaDepartment of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, ItalyCNR—Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, ItalyCNR—Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy<i>O. ficus-indica</i> (prickly pear cactus) is an important forage and food source in arid and semiarid ecosystems and is the most important cactus species in cultivation globally. The high degree of apomixis in the species is a hindrance in plant breeding programs where genetic segregation is sought for the selection of superior genotypes. To understand if <i>in ovulo</i> embryo rescue could increase the proportion of zygotic seedlings, we compared the mature seed-derived seedlings with those regenerated from <i>in vitro</i> embryo rescue at 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 post-anthesis days (PADs) in four Italian cultivars. The seedlings were classified as apomictic or zygotic based on molecular marker analysis using inter-sequence single repeat (ISSR) primers. Multiple embryos were recovered from all the cultured immature ovules, and plantlets were regenerated and acclimatized to the field post hardening, with success rates ranging from 62% (‘Senza spine’) to 83% (‘Gialla’). The level of polyembryony differed among cultivars and recovery dates, with the highest being ‘Rossa’, producing 4.8 embryos/ovule at 35 PADs, and ‘Gialla’, the lowest, with 2.7 at 40 PADs. The maximum number of embryos observed within a single ovule was 14 in ‘Trunzara bianca’. ISSR analysis revealed that ovule culture at 35 PADs produced the highest percentage of zygotic seedlings in all the cultivars, from 51% (‘Rossa’) to 98% (‘Gialla’), with a high genotype effect as well. Mature seeds produced much fewer seedlings per seed, ranging from 1.2 in ‘Trunzara bianca’ to 2.0 in ‘Rossa’ and a lower percentage of zygotic seedlings (from 14% in ‘Rossa’ to 63% in ‘Gialla’). Our research opens a pathway to increase the availability of zygotic seedlings in <i>O. ficus-indica</i> breeding programs through <i>in ovulo</i> embryo culture.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/15/2758apomixisembryo rescueovule cultureprickly pearcactus pearnucellar embryos |
| spellingShingle | Angela Carra Caterina Catalano Ranjith Pathirana Maurizio Sajeva Paolo Inglese Antonio Motisi Francesco Carimi Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae) Plants apomixis embryo rescue ovule culture prickly pear cactus pear nucellar embryos |
| title | Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae) |
| title_full | Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae) |
| title_fullStr | Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae) |
| title_short | Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through <i>In Vitro</i> Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (Cactaceae) |
| title_sort | increased zygote derived plantlet formation through i in vitro i rescue of immature embryos of highly apomictic i opuntia ficus indica i cactaceae |
| topic | apomixis embryo rescue ovule culture prickly pear cactus pear nucellar embryos |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/15/2758 |
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