AJ Cann
A vast quantity of empirical evidence suggests that insufficient quantity or quality of pollen may lead to a reduction in fruit set, in particular for self-incompatible species. A recent study in Annals of Botany uses an integrative approach that combines field research with marker gene analysis to understand the factors affecting reproductive success in a widely distributed self-incompatible species, Prunus virginiana (Rosaceae).
The results show that even though P. virginiana is a widespread species, fragmented populations can experience significant reductions in fruit set and pollen limitation in the field. Detailed examination of one fragmented population suggests that these linitations may be explained by an increase in biparental inbreeding, correlated paternity and fine-scale genetic structure. The consistency of the field and fine-scale genetic analyses, and the consistency of the results within patches and across years, suggest that these are important processes driving pollen limitation in the fragment.
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