Effects of Xenia on Fruit and Seed in <i>Vernicia fordii</i>

Tung tree, Vernicia fordii, is a plant species producing industrial oil (tung oil). Although the cultivation of the tung tree produces great economic value, some important genetic and physiological traits in V. fordii have not been fully recognized. As one of them, the effect of pollen on the maternal plant (xenia) is unknown in V. fordii, which is an important part of the efficient cultivation system of many crops. This study performed hybridization with three important tung cultivars (Dami, Xiaomi and Putao) to evaluate the influence of pollen source on fruit and seed development. The results revealed that xenia is present in V. fordii, which influences fruit setting, fruit size, seed weight and oil content. Among the cultivars investigated, the hybridization combination with Putao as a female parent and Dami as male parent showed significant improvement of seed yield and oil content than self-pollination, which could be considered to apply in practice.