Skip to main content
Log in

Reproductive characterization and preliminary studies on controlled breeding of Annatto (Bixa orellana L.)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Plant Systematics and Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) is an important dye-yielding medium-sized tree occurring in the tropics. Investigations aimed at elucidating the reproductive characters as well as establishing a set of breeding parameters for genetic improvement of B. orellana was carried out. Records on pollen/ovule ratios of annatto showed that this species is xenogamous. The acetolyzed pollen of B. orellana was tricolporate. The fluorochromatic test showed 95% pollen viability. The viability of the pollen grains decreased sharply after 4 h from anther dehiscence. The optimum time range for artificial pollination was standardized between 12:00 and 13:00 h. A high in vitro germination rate (92%) of freshly collected pollen was recorded in modified Brewbaker’s medium with 15% sucrose. Resource allocation studies showed that the construction of each flower cost 1.162 g. The floral vegetative cost was 75%. Of the total allocation, 21% was spent by the stamens. Based on identified reproductive characters, controlled pollination experiments were conducted by selecting four morphologically distinct parent plants: (1) green-fruited with reddish spines, (2) red-fruited, (3) brown large-fruited, and (4) with brown distorted fruits. In artificial cross-pollination experiments, wide variation ranges in fruit set (0–95%) and fruit maturation (0–85%) were observed in different crosses. The number of seeds per capsule also showed variation (0–40 per capsule). Germination studies of seeds raised from different crosses showed a maximum 93% germination. The present study proved that improvement in B. orellana could be achieved by adopting breeding techniques using specifically selected parents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Avila A, Barquero L, Calzada J (1982) An improved method for detection of bixin from annatto seeds. Ing Cienc Quim 6:209–210

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brewbaker JL, Kwack BH (1963) The essential role of calcium ion in pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Am J Bot 50:859–865

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Casper BB, Niesenbaum RA (1993) Pollen versus resource limitation of seed production-A consideration. Curr Sci 31:32–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Chopra RN, Kaur H (1965) Embryology of Bixa orellana Linn. Phytomorphology 15:211–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Cour P, Van Campo M (1980) Prevision de recoletes a partir de I’analyse du contenue pollinique de l’atmosphere. C R Acad Sci (Paris) 290:1043–1046

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruden RW (1977) Pollen–ovule ratios: a conservative indicator of breeding systems in flowering plants. Evolution 31:32–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dafni A, Motte MM (1998) A rapid and simple procedure to determine stigma receptivity. Sex Plant Reprod 11:177–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dafni A, Kevan PG, Husband BC (2005) Practical pollination biology. Enviroquest, Ontario

    Google Scholar 

  • Erdtman G (1952) Pollen morphology and plant taxonomy: angiosperms. Almqvist and Wiksell, Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs PE, Milne C, Carrillo M (1975) Correlation between the breeding system and recombination index in five species of Senecio. New Phytol 75:619–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison Y (1987) Pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Int Rev Cytol 107:1–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janssen AW, Hermsen JG (1976) Estimating pollen fertility in Solanum species and haploids. Euphytica 25:577–586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johri BM, Vasil IK (1961) Physiology of pollen. Bot Rev 27:325–381

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kearns CA, Inouye DW (1993) Techniques for pollination biologists. Colorado University Press, Colorado

    Google Scholar 

  • Khatun S, Flowers TJ (1995) The estimation of pollen viability in rice. J Exp Bot 46:151–154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin FW (1959) Staining and observing pollen tubes by means of fluorescence. Stain Technol 34:125–128

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mione T, Anderson GJ (1992) Pollen–ovule ratios and breeding system evolution in Solanum section Basarthrum (Solanaceae). Am J Bot 79:279–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nair PKK (1970) Pollen morphology of angiosperms. Vikas, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston RE (1986) Pollen–ovule ratios in the Cruciferae. Am J Bot 73:1732–1740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivera-Madrid R, Escobedo GMRM, Galera EB, Vera-Ku M, Harries H (2006) Preliminary studies towards genetic improvement of annatto (Bixa orellana L.). Sci Hort 109:165–172

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez G, Enriquez G (1983) Estudio preliminary del desarrollo de ramas y la biologia floral en Bixa orellana L. In: Arce J (ed) Aspectos sobre el achiote y perspectivas para Costa Ric, Turrialba. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, pp 58–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Riano T, Dafni A (2000) A new procedure to assess pollen viability. Sex Plant Reprod 12:241–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ronse DLP (1989) Floral development of Cochlospermum tinctorium and Bixa orellana with special emphasis on the androecium. Am J Bot 76:1344–1359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shivanna KR, Johri BM (1985) The angiosperm pollen: structure and function. Wiley Eastern, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivanna KR, Johri BM (1989) Angiosperm pollen: structure and function. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivanna KR, Rangaswami NS (1992) Pollen biology. A laboratory manual. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Smith J (2006) Annatto extracts. Chemical and technical assessment. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ftp://ftp.fao.org/agn/jecfa/cta-annatto.pdf. Accessed 14 September 2011

  • Snedecor GW, Cochran WG (1962) Statistical methods. Iowa State University Press, IA, p 318

    Google Scholar 

  • Spira TP, Snow AA, Whigham DF, Leak J (1992) Flower visitation, pollen deposition, and pollen-tube competition in Hibiscus moscheutos (Malvaceae). Am J Bot 79:428–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley RG, Linskens HF (1974) Pollen: biology biochemistry and management. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Steer MW, Steer JM (1989) Pollen tube tip growth. New Phytol 111:323–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stone JL, Thomson JD, Dent-Acosta SJ (1995) Assessment of pollen viability in hand-pollination experiments: a review. Am J Bot 82:1186–1197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tangmitchareon S, Owens JN (1997) Floral biology, pollination, pistil receptivity, and pollen tube growth of teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.). Ann Bot 79:227–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tel-Zur N, Schneider B (2009) Floral biology of Ziziphus mauritiana (Rhamnaceae). Sex Plant Reprod 22:73–85

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tuinstra MR, Wedel J (2000) Estimation of pollen viability in grain sorghum. Crop Sci 40:968–970

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valdez-Ojeda R, Hernandez-Stefanoni JL, Aguilar-Espinosa M, Rivera-Madrid R, Ortiz R, Quiros CF (2008) Assessing morphological and genetic variation in annatto (Bixa orellana L.) by sequence-related amplified polymorphism and cluster analysis. Hort Sci 43:2013–2017

    Google Scholar 

  • Valdez-Ojeda R, Quiros CF, Aguilar-Espinosa ML, Rivera-Madrid R (2010) Outcrossing rates in annatto determined by sequence-related amplified polymorphism. Agron J 102:1340–1345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Venkatesh CS (1956) The curious anther of Bixa – its structure and dehiscence. Am Midland Naturalist 55:473–476

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RF (1938) Wilson colour chart, vol I. Henry Stone, Banbury

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RF (1941) Wilson colour chart, vol II. Henry Stone, Banbury

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson MF (1983) Plant reproductive ecology. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. Ashalatha S. Nair, Professor and Head, Department of Botany, University of Kerala, for providing facilities. The authors also thank Kerala State Council for Science Technology Environment (KSCSTE), Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, India, for financial support (no. 028, SRSLS/2007/CSTE).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. A. Siril.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Joseph, N., Siril, E.A. & Nair, G.M. Reproductive characterization and preliminary studies on controlled breeding of Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) . Plant Syst Evol 298, 239–250 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0541-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0541-0

Keywords

Navigation