Backcross Hybrids of Zinnia angustifolia and Z. violacea: Embryology, Morphology, and Fertility

Abstract

True-breeding lines of Zinnia marylandica Spooner, Stimart and Boyle [allotetraploids of Z. angustifolia H.B.K. and Z. violacea Cav. (2n = 46)] were reciprocally backcrossed with diploid and autotetraploid forms of Z. angustifolia (2n =22 or 44) and Z. violacea (2n =24 or 48). In most cases, backcrosses were more successful with Z. angustifolia and Z. violacea as autotetraploids than as diploids. Seed-generated, backcross (BC1) families were obtained by crossing Z. marylandica (as female) with autotetraploid Z. angustifolia or autotetraploid Z. violacea. BC1 plants were phenotypically intermediate between the two parental lines for most morphological characters. Crosses between Z. marylandica and autotetraploid Z. angustifolia yielded BC1 plants with 33% stainable pollen, whereas crosses between Z. marylandica and autotetraploid Z. violacea yielded BC1 plants that produced malformed, poorly-stained pollen. No embryos were observed in capitula collected from field-grown BC1 plants. BC1 hybrids of Z. marylandica and autotetraploid Z. violacea produced larger capitula and more ray florets than Z. marylandica, and exhibited novel combinations of floral pigments not observed in Z. marylandica ray florets. BC1 hybrids of Z. marylandica and Z. violacea have commercial potential as seed-propagated, bedding plants.