Investigating the Genetic Variation and Mechanisms of Self-Fertility in Macadamia
Abstract
Self-fertility (SF) enables fruit and seed formation without pollinators and external pollen donors, offering the potential for efficient orchard design and improved profitability. Macadamia exhibits partial self-incompatibility with genotypes revealed substantial variation in SF. This multi-scale study integrates phenotypic assessments, reproductive biology, genomics, and transcriptomics to characterise SF. Across diverse germplasm, SF showed moderate heritability (0.55). Pollen tube growth assays indicated a homomorphic stylar self-incompatibility mechanism. Molecular analyses revealed differential expression between self-fertile and self-infertile cultivars in pathways related to pollen recognition, signalling, cell wall modification, vesicle trafficking, and carbohydrate transport. Genome-wide association analysis identified SF-associated loci, providing targets for marker-assisted selection. SF is genotype-specific and is independent of yield. These findings support early breeding and development high-yielding, self-fertile macadamia cultivars.
Palakdeep Kaur
Palakdeep Kaur is a PhD candidate at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), University of Queensland, completing her doctoral research in 2026. Her work focuses on macadamia genetics, genomics and molecular biology underlying self-fertility. She has research interests in quantitative genetics, genome-assisted breeding and advanced breeding strategies aimed at improving breeding efficiency and cultivar development. She is passionate about translating research into industry practice and focusses to support breeders and growers to enhance crop-improvement and selection strategies.
Palakdeep Kaur, Centre for Horticultural Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Agriculture and Food Innovation E: palakdeep.kaur@uq.edu.au
For any questions, please contact the QAAFI Science Seminar Committee.
For any questions, please contact the QAAFI Science Seminar Committee.
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The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation is a research institute at The University of Queensland, established with and supported by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.