Auxin
Rising Star
Self infertile cacti, in the absence of a viable breeding partner, can sometimes be induced to produce apomict seed.
Apomixis is basically clones in seed form. If a flower is pollinated with a chemical irritant like caustic cement powder straight from the hardware store, or an impossible breeding partner the plant can just be like 'well fuck you then, I'll do it myself' and make clone seed.
Harrisia jusbertii is a classic example, theres apparently only one in existence and its self-infertile so no sexual reproduction but if you give it pollen from a Trichocereus its like turning on a porno and the Harrisia has babies with itself, all identical clones of the 'mother'. So if you buy H. jusbertii seed (aka. Eriocereus jusbertii, I think that old name hangs on because it feels cooler to say, go ahead- watch your tongue- anyway...) commercial jusbertii seed wont produce plants that can pollinate eachother.
Mostly, apomixis is relevant in cactus breeding due to the fact that it can happen to some extent even when crossing compatible partners. Anywhere from 0 to 100% of the resulting seed will be clones of the mother. You can see breeders trying to sort the mess out in published papers on the breeding of Opuntia cultivars for the food industry, for example.
Apomixis is basically clones in seed form. If a flower is pollinated with a chemical irritant like caustic cement powder straight from the hardware store, or an impossible breeding partner the plant can just be like 'well fuck you then, I'll do it myself' and make clone seed.
Harrisia jusbertii is a classic example, theres apparently only one in existence and its self-infertile so no sexual reproduction but if you give it pollen from a Trichocereus its like turning on a porno and the Harrisia has babies with itself, all identical clones of the 'mother'. So if you buy H. jusbertii seed (aka. Eriocereus jusbertii, I think that old name hangs on because it feels cooler to say, go ahead- watch your tongue- anyway...) commercial jusbertii seed wont produce plants that can pollinate eachother.
Mostly, apomixis is relevant in cactus breeding due to the fact that it can happen to some extent even when crossing compatible partners. Anywhere from 0 to 100% of the resulting seed will be clones of the mother. You can see breeders trying to sort the mess out in published papers on the breeding of Opuntia cultivars for the food industry, for example.