Search Results
The genus Alstroemeria L. is endemic in South America, mainly in Chile and Brazil. Crossing barriers of mainly postfertilization origin hampered widely inter-specific hybridization. Culturing the ovules 2 days after pollination in an hormone-free MS medium with 9% saccharose for 6 weeks and hereafter transfer to a MS medium with 3% saccharose gives germination of the fertilized ovules. In a diallel cross with 5 Chilean and 2 Brazilian species 39 combinations failed, whereas after early ovule culture hybrid plants were obtained in 27 of the incongruous combinations. The rate of success varied between 0.4%–22.5% depending on the species combination. The hybrids were tested in in vitro stage for their true hybridity using isozyme analysis and/or genomic in situ hybridization of chromosomes (GISH). This method can easily be applied in hybrids between Chilean and Brazilian species. Backcrosses were made using the ovule culture again and in the combination (A. aurea × A. inodora) × A. inodora plants were obtained although the pollen fertility was very low (1%–5%). By using species-specific repetitive probes in in situ hybridization (FISH) chromosome specific patterns were obtained enabling us characterizing the backcross hybrids for their chromosome constitution. By this method we can identify our breeding material for special traits linked with identified chromosomes.