INFLUENCE OF POLLEN VARIETY ON RASPBERRY (RUBUS-IDAEUS L) DEVELOPMENT

Although the commercial raspberry is self-fertile, it may benefit from cross-pollination. Comparisons were made to determine whether the commercial raspberry showed xenic tendencies in cross-pollination. The average weight of self-pollinated raspberry drupelets was compared to that of cross-pollinated drupelets. We also examined the correlation between the weight and number of fertilized ovules from both self-pollinated and cross-pollinated berries. Four raspberry varieties-'Carnival, ' 'Festival, ' 'Latham, ' and 'Muskoka-were cross- and self-pollinated during 1986-87. Results indicate that a metaxenic phenomenon does occur in raspberries. In 1987, the freely cross-pollinated Festival had an average drupelet weight superior to that of self-pollinated control. We also noticed that the relation between raspberry weight and the number of drupelets were higher in Festival than in Muskoka. © 1990 The American Genetic Association.