Hybridization of Peanuts in Growth Chambers1

Abstract

Abstract Hand crosses in peanuts require much time and generally are done by emasculating the flowers late in the evening or at night, and then pollinating the plant the next morning when pollen is available. A new method, in which a growth chamber is operated on a reversed day-night schedule (12-hour, 29 C day commencing at 4:30 p.m. and 12-hour, 21 C night commencing at 4:30 a.m. CST), allows the emasculations to be made between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. and the pollinations to follow immediately. This method permits crossing to be done during normal work-day hours and allows up to three crossing cycles and growth generations per year. In 1971 and 1972 tests of this method showed more than 50% success in achieving viable hybrids per pollination.