| A recessive yellowleaf marker gene was used to evaluate mixed pollination as a method to enhance crossability in blueberry. A repeated-pollination experiment was conducted to see if the first pollen applied or the second produced more progeny, and to see if repeated pollinations increased the number of seedlings produced. Flowers of diploid yellowleaf Vaccinium elliottii were pollinated from one to four times at daily intervals. Pollen from redleaf and yellowleaf plants was used to produce two types of seedlings that could be distinguished visually. Generally, percent berry set, seeds per berry, and seed germination were not increased by multiple pollination. After multiple pollination, the pollen applied first always produced the most seedlings. Prior pollination greatly reduced seed set from subsequent pollination, but subsequent pollination caused little or no decrease in the number of seeds set by the first pollination.;Two diploid yellowleaf V. elliottii clones were pollinated with pollen from tetraploid Florida highbush blueberry (largely V. corymbosum). These interspecific crosses, which normally yield few hybrids, were made with and without the use of V. elliottii mentor pollen mixed with V. corymbosum pollen. Mentoring had no effect on the number of hybrids produced by 'Silverhill', but only mentoring yielded hybrids from 'Oleno'. The difference was attributed to 'Silverhill's' greater ability, than 'Oleno', to set one-seeded berries.;Yellowleaf V. elliottii clones were crossed with V. arboreum, an intersectional homoploid cross. Where V. elliottii was used as the seed parent, seed set and germination were high; V. arboreum produced no hybrids as seed parent. Most hybrids had low vigor, but some individuals were vigorous. Survival ranged from zero to 33% after two years. All the hybrids were sterile.;Hybrids of yellowleaf V. elliottii x Florida highbush blueberry were confirmed with isozyme analysis and, where yellowleaf was the seed parent, by wildtype phenotype. Progeny of F... |
