The sporophytic self-incompatibility mating system is conserved in Olea europaea subsp cuspidata and O. e. europaea

Fruit setting after self-pollination, crosses and free-pollination appears to be erratic in the cultivated olive tree [Olea europaea subsp europaea L. (O. e. europaea L.)] because of a lack of a suitable model to enable prediction of rates. The same lack of prediction also applies to the wild taxon Olea europaea subsp cuspidata (O. e. cuspidata). Because of their close phylogenetic relationships, we hypothesize that O. e. cuspidata and cultivated olive share the same self-incompatibility system. We used data recently published in a wide study involving four O. e. cuspidata accessions and four olive cultivars. Because the olive varieties have been deciphered for their S-allele pair, that infer determinants present in the stigma and pistil, and that coat the pollen, we deciphered the S-alleles carried by three of the O. e. cuspidata accessions. Data are too scarce and the number of accessions too small to speculate on the O. e. cuspidata genetic population structure. The working hypothesis is confirmed. This study and data from the Italian team will enable us to embark on a large-scale hybridization program between the two subsp. to obtain a wide range of progenies for screening for responses to cold, diseases and pests