Evaluation of morphological traits of flowers and crossing possibility of haskap (Lonicera L) cultivars depending on their origin

BACKGROUND: Haskap (Lonicera L.) is as a new perspective berry species for growing in temperate region climate. According to nowadays knowledge haskap is absolutely self-sterile species hence the studies on pollination mode are required. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate new haskap cultivars of Canadian and Russian origin in terms of their matching for cross-pollination. METHODS: The overlapping of flowering time of cultivars for mutual cross pollination was selected. The effectiveness of pollination was assessed: in terms of pollen tube overgrowth through the pistil tissue and the quality of set fruit. RESULTS: The Russian cultivars bloomed much earlier than the Canadian cultivars. The stigma is most receptive in the freshly open flower stage and directly after the anther burst. The minimum qualitatively acceptable weight of a berry is 1 g, which corresponds to the formation of about 6 seeds in the fruit. The most compatible pairs of cultivars were: ‘Aurora’בJugana’, ‘Aurora’בSinij Utes’ and ‘Aurora’בVostorg’. CONCLUSION: The Russian cultivars bloomed much earlier than the Canadian cultivars, the stigma is most receptive in the freshly open flower, minimum qualitatively acceptable weight of berry is 1 g (what represents 6 seeds in fruit), best mutual pollinating cultivars are the cultivars within the same breeding group (Russian x Russian and Canadian x Canadian)