INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDIZATION FOR ASPARAGUS BREEDING IN ITALY

In the Mediterranean Basin Asparagus maritimus Miller, A. acutifolius L., A. aphyllus L., A. albus L. and A. medeoloides Thunb. are known for good taste of spears and for adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses.
In this study, the potential of these species for the introgression of useful traits into the cultivated species A. officinalis was investigated.
Both diploid and tetraploid plants of A. officinalis were sexually compatible with tetraploid A. maritimus, while the combinations A. officinalis × A. acutifolius, A. maritimus × A. acutifolius, A. albus × A. officinalis and A. officinalis × A. stipularis were sexually incompatible.
Only the tetraploid hybrid of A. officinalis × A. maritimus appeared to be compatible with A. acutifolius, as their cross gave one seed.
The interspecific hybrid plant so obtained was then backcrossed with a tetraploid plant of A. officinalis, and eight BC₁ plants were obtained.
From anther culture of one BC₁ plant three diploid and nine tetraploid plants were regenerated.
Isoenzyme and ISSR analysis allowed to estimate the genetic similarity of A. officinalis, A. acutifolius, A. aphyllus and A. amarus, and to verify the genetic origin of the interspecific hybrids, the segregation in the backcrossed progenies with A. officinalis, and the androgenetic origin of anther derived plants.

XI International Asparagus Symposium

A. Falavigna, P. Alberti, P.E. Casali, L. Toppino, W. Huaisong, G. Mennella

Asparagus officinalis, A. acutifolius, A. maritimus, interspecific cross, diseases resistance

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.776.37