Intergeneric Hybridization between Phalaenopsis 2166 and Vanda ‘saint valentine’: Characterization of Parents Using ndhE cpDNA Partial Sequence

An intergeneric cross between Phalaenopsis 2166 and Vanda ‘saint valentine’ has successfully produced protocorms that will be grown further to form seedlings. The present study aims to genetically characterize both parents by using ndhE partial gene as its sequence is shown polymorphic among five orchid genera of the subtribe Oncidiinae. The results reveal that the ndhE partial sequences of Phalaenopsis 2166 and Vanda ‘saint valentine’ are considerably homologous with those of Oncidium. However, alignment of ndhE partial sequences between both parents shows only 58% similarity, leading to the conclusion that a relatively high genetic difference between them may occur.

UJI TINGKAT KOMPATIBILITAS DAN UMUR MEKAR BUNGA PADA PERSILANGAN INTERGENERIK ANGGREK Vanda sp DAN Phalaenopsis sp

<em>The study aims to determine the effect of compatibility level to the intergeneric crossing ability and the age of the flower blooming of Vanda sp and Phalaenopsis sp. Research was conducted at a screen house and Plant Breeding Laboratory of Faculty of Agriculture, Sebelas Maret University. Crossing is done by inserting pollen of male parent to the stigma of the female parent which were selected based on a predetermined number of crosses. The observations included: percentage of successful crosses, time of fruit formation, durability of hanging fruit, the percentage of fruit ready for harvest, the percentage of the fallen fruit, and the level of compatibility. The study concluded that the intergeneric cross between Vanda sp and Phalaenopsis sp can be done until the age of 3 weeks after the flowers bloom. The fruit begins to form at the age of 6-12 day after crosses (DAC) and can be harvested after reaching the age of about three months. The intergeneric cross between Vanda sp and Phalaenopsis sp is compatible, because this was capable of producing the fruit of more than 60%.</em>

Significance of stigma receptivity in intergeneric cross-pollination of Salix × Populus

The pollen–stigma interaction plays an important role in reproductive process and has been continuously studied in many interspecific and intergeneric crossing experiments. The aim of this study was to investigate stigma receptivity (SR) of willow in order to determine the most suitable period for its pollination with poplar pollen and improve the effectiveness of <em>Salix × Populus</em> crosses. Tissue samples were examined histologically using light, epifluorescent, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Willow SR was determined by stigma morphological traits, test of pollen germination rate, Peroxtesmo test of peroxidase and esterase activity on stigma surface as well as papilla ultrastructure at anthesis. We have ascertained that the SR duration in willow is short, lasting from 1 to 2 DA. The poplar pollen germination rate on willow stigmas on 1 DA ranged from 26.3 to 11.2%.

A compact sunflower line produced after cross Helianthus annuus x Verbesina encelioides

Intergeneric cross was made between the cultivated sunflower inbred line HA89 and an accession of wild Verbesina encelioides tolerant to drought and high temperature. The line was a BC2F5 progeny. The most remarkable feature of the plants was their compact architecture due to short petiole length and also, rather specific bright-yellow inflorescences. Similar plant architecture did not exist in either the wild or the cultivated parent. For sunflower, it is considered as a favourable and potentially useful adaptive trait. The line was multi-branched of medium type branching and possessed good agronomic characteristics. The overall characteristics of HA-VERBENC line make it a useful plant material for research on wide hybridization.

Assessment of variation in seed longevity within rye, wheat and the intergeneric hybrid triticale

Seed shelf-life or longevity is difficult to predict or to measure on a practical time scale. Predictive models suggest that water has the same effect on ageing rate for all seed lots within a species and that initial seed quality is the dominating factor explaining within-species variation. These assumptions are used in ‘accelerated ageing’ or ‘controlled deterioration’ (AA/CD) tests, which are commonly used to predict seed longevity in commercial and research applications. In this study, we describe within-species variation of longevity for seeds of Secale cereale and S. strictum (cultivated rye and its wild progenitor) under typical dry storage conditions of a genebank, and show that initial seed quality is an important, but not sole, factor explaining measured longevity. We also test the correlation of seed longevity, measured under humid and dry conditions, using 50 cultivars of rye, wheat (Triticum aestivum) and the intergeneric cross triticale, to assess how well AA/CD tests predict seed shelf-life during dry storage. Known differences in longevity between wheat and rye were confirmed at all water contents, and triticale seeds demonstrated intermediate behaviour. Longevity measured for humid and dry conditions were weakly correlated when comparisons included all grain types and were not correlated in within-grain-type comparisons. Response to moisture varied among cultivars. These findings do not support assumptions made in seed ageing models that use AA/CD tests. Our results suggest that more traits are involved in the expression of seed longevity than those typically measured in studies of initial seed vigour.