Review of self-incompatibility in apricot

The aim of this paper is to review sexual incompatibility features in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.). A brief review of general aspects of self-incompatibility is carried out. Recent research advances on the subject in apricot as well as future work to be done are commented on. Although apricot cultivars grown in Europe and North America have been considered mainly self-compatible, in the last 10-20 years many papers have been published where important widespread cultivars are described as self-incompatible. This paper covers a review of the main self-incompatible European and North American apricot cultivars. The model for the inheritance of this character has recently been determined which will make the planning of crosses possible so that the number of self-incompatible seedlings is minimised in the progenies. The model is described and main conclusions and consequences are established. Several interesting families have been evaluated for this trait allowing to gain some insight into the genotype of the parental cultivars. Also the first groups of incompatibility in apricot have been already established and all this recent information allows studies on pistils proteins and correlation with genotypes for self-incompatibility. Previous results of this type of study are described.