Doubled Haploids of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) 1. Observations of Fertility

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Abstract
Ovule and pollen fertility have been studied in doubled haploids of cocoa derived from spontaneous haploids, doubled by colchicine treatment. The two measures of fertility were very variable; occasionally, the levels were as high as those of the parent plant, but most were lower. The low fertility was not improved either by changing pollinators or after grafting. Pollen fertility also varied seasonally more in doubled haploids than in their parents.The lack of differentiation of embryo sacs seemed to be the cause of low values of ovule fertility. Both of these unfavourable characteristics were not observed in the progeny of doubled haploids, The low fertility is described in terms of homozygote depression, forced, on normally allogamous plants, its consequences for the use of doubled haploids in the production of hybrid seeds are discussed.