g. h. davarinejad

Pear (Pyrus communis L.) such as many members of Rosaceae is self-incompatible and for adequate bearing needs suitable pollinizer cultivars. This research was carried out to determine suitable pollinizer (s) for some important native pear cultivars. Reciprocal crosses were made between Shah Miveh, Shekari, Natanzi, Sebri, Dar Gazi and Bartlett cultivars. Fruitset (%) and number of viable seeds per fruit were considered as indices of pollen compatability. In addition to above combinations, these indices were also evaluated in natural and artificial self pollinated as well as open pollinated trees. Artificial selfing showed advantage to the natural selfing for overcoming the incompatibility barrier in Sebri and Bartlett cultivars. Moreover, pattern of fruitsets in open pollinated trees were in accordance with commercial bearing potential of the cultivars. In cross pollinated combinations Dar Gazi led to highest fruitset with 10.2%, 5.1% and 0.86% as pollinizer for Sebri, Shekari and Natanzi cultivars. This cultivar also demonstrated 90% of blooming overlap with Sebri, and 50% with two other cultivars. Apparently, high compatability of Dar Gazi as a pollinizer for other pear cultivars stems from its genetic distance that leads to existence of different self incompatibility alleles in this cultivar.