Quantitatively determined self-incompatibility

Summary It has been claimed that Borage (Borago officInalis L.) has a multifactorial self-incompatibility system. Such systems may have a high level of ineffective pollination, and we show that this is the case in borage. The ranking of seed set from highest to lowest is as follows: bee-pollination; natural pollination in the absence of bees; artificial cross-pollination between unrelated plants; artificial cross-pollination between related plants; artificial self-pollination. In diallel crosses, significant parental effects were detected but no consistent patterns of seed set, which suggest a simple self-incompatibility system, were detected. The level of outcrossing with natural pollination was very variable but greater than 50%. Thus, there appears to be no straightforward self-incompatibility system in borage.