Articles
INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDIZATION OF ALSTROEMERIA FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW, ORNAMENTAL PLANTS
Article number
836_9
Pages
73 – 78
Language
English
Abstract
Alstroemeria, the Inca lily or Lily-of-the-Incas, is a popular cut flower plant because of the wide variety of flower colors that are available and the long postharvest life.
In recent years, cold-hardy introductions (USDA winter hardiness zone 5) by the authors have expanded the interest of this everblooming plant as a garden perennial.
This research describes breeding procedures that have been used with the objective to breed novel, commercially valuable cold-hardy and fragrant flowered cultivars of Alstroemeria. Winter-hardy hybrids were developed by using the Chilean species Alstroemeria aurea; fragrant hybrids were developed by using the Brazilian species, Alstroemeria caryophyllaea. Interspecific hybrids were bred with the assistance of in vitro techniques such as in ovulo embryo rescue, micropropagation, and somatic embryogenesis.
For embryo rescue, ovaries were collected 10-23 days after hand pollination and their ovules were aseptically excised.
Ovules were placed in vitro on 25% Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium under dark conditions until germination.
Three weeks after germination they were subcultured onto full-strength MS medium with 2 mg benzyl adenine (BA) per liter.
Subsequently, plants were subcultured every three to four weeks onto a liquid MS medium with BA until they were large enough for rooting.
After in vitro rooting, plants were transferred to the greenhouse for ex vitro acclimation.
Successful hybrids were evaluated under both greenhouse and field trials to determine winter survival and performance.
As a result of this research, the only fragrant cultivar of Alstroemeria, Sweet Laura, was developed.
The new Alstroemeria cultivars Mauve Majesty and Tangerine Tango were recently patented and introduced by Cornell University.
These plants are noteworthy by their winter hardiness, everblooming growth habit, and long flower stems.
As new hybrids and cultivars were developed, further research was completed to develop production and propagation protocols for the plants.
This project demonstrates the potential for new plant development.
In recent years, cold-hardy introductions (USDA winter hardiness zone 5) by the authors have expanded the interest of this everblooming plant as a garden perennial.
This research describes breeding procedures that have been used with the objective to breed novel, commercially valuable cold-hardy and fragrant flowered cultivars of Alstroemeria. Winter-hardy hybrids were developed by using the Chilean species Alstroemeria aurea; fragrant hybrids were developed by using the Brazilian species, Alstroemeria caryophyllaea. Interspecific hybrids were bred with the assistance of in vitro techniques such as in ovulo embryo rescue, micropropagation, and somatic embryogenesis.
For embryo rescue, ovaries were collected 10-23 days after hand pollination and their ovules were aseptically excised.
Ovules were placed in vitro on 25% Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium under dark conditions until germination.
Three weeks after germination they were subcultured onto full-strength MS medium with 2 mg benzyl adenine (BA) per liter.
Subsequently, plants were subcultured every three to four weeks onto a liquid MS medium with BA until they were large enough for rooting.
After in vitro rooting, plants were transferred to the greenhouse for ex vitro acclimation.
Successful hybrids were evaluated under both greenhouse and field trials to determine winter survival and performance.
As a result of this research, the only fragrant cultivar of Alstroemeria, Sweet Laura, was developed.
The new Alstroemeria cultivars Mauve Majesty and Tangerine Tango were recently patented and introduced by Cornell University.
These plants are noteworthy by their winter hardiness, everblooming growth habit, and long flower stems.
As new hybrids and cultivars were developed, further research was completed to develop production and propagation protocols for the plants.
This project demonstrates the potential for new plant development.
Publication
Authors
M. Bridgen, E. Kollman, Chunsheng Lu
Keywords
breeding, Peruvian lily, Inca lily, embryo culture, flowers
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