Improvement of agronomic and quality factors in Arachis hypogaea L. through interspecific hybridization with wild Arachis species is restricted because of reproductive barriers including genetic incompatibility. A description of embryogenesis and embryo abortion in reciprocal crosses between wild and cultivated Arachis species should clarify some of these reproductive barriers. This study documents embryogenesis in the diploids A. duranensis (K 7988) and A. stenosperma (HLK 410) in reciprocal crosses with A. hypogaea cv NC 6. A significant parental effect was observed among crosses. When NC 6 was used as the female parent in crosses with both diploid species, embryos developed at a near normal rate, while embryos in the reciprocal crosses showed retarded rates. Differences in embryo developmental morphology were not observed between the two wild species. When A. duranensis was used as a female parent, however, embryos aborted at a higher frequency. In contrast, A. stenosperma had delayed fertilization, but initial embryo development was much faster and by day 5 had attained the same level of development as A. duranensis. These observations illustrate that as attempts are made to utilize the genetic resources of Arachis, different approaches will be needed to overcome the multiplicity of reproductive barriers that restrict introgression of potentially desirable traits to cultivated peanuts.
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Pattee et al. (1992) studied this question.