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Article|19 Apr 2023|OPEN
Creation of a watermelon haploid inducer line via ClDMP3-mediated single fertilization of the central cell
Xiner Chen1 , Yuxiu Li1 , Gongli Ai1 , Jinfan Chen1 , Dalong Guo2 , Zhonghou Zhu3 , Xuejie Zhu3 , Shujuan Tian1,4 , Jiafa Wang1,4 , Man Liu1,4 , , Li Yuan,1,4 ,
1State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shanxi, China
2College of Horticulture and Plant Protection Henan University of Science and Technology, 471000, Luoyang, China
3Luoyang Nongfa Agricultural Technology Co., LTD, 471100, Luoyang, China
4Shenzhen Research Institute, Northwest A&F University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
*Corresponding author. E-mail: mliu@nwafu.edu.cn,lyuan@nwafu.edu.cn

Horticulture Research 10,
Article number: uhad081 (2023)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhad081
Views: 230

Received: 07 Apr 2023
Accepted: 18 Apr 2023
Published online: 19 Apr 2023

Abstract

The use of doubled haploids is one of the most efficient breeding methods in modern agriculture. Irradiation of pollen grains has been shown to induce haploids in cucurbit crops, possibly because it causes preferential fertilization of the central cell over the egg cell. Disruption of the DMP gene is known to induce single fertilization of the central cell, which can lead to the formation of haploids. In the present study, a detailed method of creating a watermelon haploid inducer line via ClDMP3 mutation is described. The cldmp3 mutant induced haploids in multiple watermelon genotypes at rates of up to 1.12%. These haploids were confirmed via fluorescent markers, flow cytometry, molecular markers, and immuno-staining. The haploid inducer created by this method has the potential to greatly advance watermelon breeding in the future.