The cultivated gerbera daisy [Gerbera hybrida (G. jamesonii Bolus ex Adlam × G. viridifolia Schultz-Bip)] produces flowers that have either a dark (shades of dark brown, brown-black, black-purple, or black) or light (shades of green-yellow, yellow-green, or light yellow) central disk. The dark-centered varieties have increased in popularity over the past 20 years and provided an exciting color contrast, especially in white, yellow, and various pastel-colored flowers. The objective of this investigation was to determine the mode of inheritance of disk color in gerberas. A series of crosses were made to produce PA, PB, F1, F2, BC1A, and BC1B progeny to complete the Mendelian genetic analysis. Phenotypic segregation ratios indicated that dark disk color was determined by a single dominant gene, designated Dc, and the light disk color by a recessive gene, dc. Dominance appeared to be complete in that the disk color was similar in both homozygous and heterozygous Dc plants.
Cultivated gerbera daisies [Gerbera hybrida (G. jamesonii Bolus ex Adlam × G. viridifolia Schultz-Bip)] have several different flower types. They include single and crested cultivars that have normal florets with elliptical (ligulate) outer corolla lips and spider cultivars that have florets with laciniated (split) outer corolla lips appearing as several pointed lobes. The objective of this investigation was to determine the mode of inheritance of the major flower types of gerberas in the North Carolina State Univ. collection. The collection contained parents and four generations of progeny representing a wide range of single and crested cultivars and some spider cultivars. Genotypes of parents used in crosses were determined by testcrosses to single-flowered, ligulate floret cultivars similar in phenotype to the wild, parental gerbera species. Testcrosses indicated that the wild type was recessive to the crested and spider flower types and given the genotype crcrspsp. For each of the types, a series of crosses were made to produce PA, PB, F1, F2, BC1A, and BC1B progeny. Allelism was tested operationally by crossing genotypes in all possible combinations and observing single-gene-pair ratios. Linkage relationships among the crested and spider loci were tested using dihybrid crosses and testcrosses. Phenotypic segregation ratios suggested the presence of two dominant alleles, Crd and Cr, determining the enlarged disk and trans floret, male-sterile and enlarged trans floret, male-fertile crested types, respectively, and an unlinked dominant gene, Sp, determining the spider type. Dominance appeared to be incomplete due to the reduction of trans floret length in most Crdcr and Crcr heterozygotes compared to crested homozygotes and the appearance of the quasi-spider type (spider trans and disk florets and ligulate and/or slightly notched ray florets) among certain crested Spsp heterozygotes.
The development of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii H. Bolus ex. Hooker) as a floricultural crop is traced from its collection as a botanical novelty in South Africa to its establishment as a commercial crop in the 1930s. The origin of the cultivated germplasm, G. jamesonii and G. viridifolia (DC) Schultz- Bipontinus, is discussed, as well as breeding work that occurred in Europe and the United States. The contributions of the two species to the cultivated germplasm is unknown. Early breeding in Europe was conducted by RI. Lynch at the Cambridge Botanic Gardens in England, R. Adnet at La Rosarie in Antibes, France; and by C. Sprenger in Italy. In the United States, early work was done at estates in New Jersey by Herrington and Atkins, and by the commercial growers Jaenicke and the J.L. Childs' Seed Co. Establishing the cold hardiness of the crop for temperate climates was an early goal of horticulturists and breeders. Much of the cultivated germplasm can be traced to material that passed through Cambridge and Antibes.
The cultivated gerbera daisy [Gerbera hybrida (G. jamesonii Bolus ex Adlam × G. viridifolia Schultz-Bip)] often contracts powdery mildew (PM) when grown under conditions of high humidity. During field and greenhouse performance trials conducted with gerberas of the North Carolina State University collection, two half-sib field plants and two of their greenhouse-grown progeny were identified as being highly resistant to PM caused by Podosphaera (Sphaerotheca) fusca (Fr.) Blumer emend. Braun & Takamatsu. These plants were also unusual in having smooth glossy leaves with very low numbers of bristle macrohairs (MHs) on the adaxial leaf surface compared to wild type. The primary objectives of this investigation were to determine the mode of inheritance of PM resistance and MH density traits and determine if there was a causal relationship between the phenotypes. Parental genotypes were determined by testcrosses to wild-type, PM-susceptible and MH-high-density leaf cultivars. For each trait, a series of crosses were made to produce PA, PB, F1, F2, BC1A, and BC1B progeny. Linkage relationships among PM resistance and MH density loci were examined by testcrosses. Phenotypic segregation ratios suggested the presence of a dominant allele, Pmr1, determining PM resistance and an unlinked dominant allele, Mhd, determining low density of adaxial bristle MHs and moderate reduction in abaxial smooth MHs. The Pmr1 allele appeared to be incompletely dominant in some heterozygotes where one parent was from a highly PM susceptible background. Modifying genes may have some affect on the level of PM resistance or susceptibility. The Mhd allele appeared to be incompletely dominant in some heterozygotes. Segregation ratios indicated that the wild-type alleles were recessive to the PM-resistance and MH-low-density alleles and given the designation pmr1 and mhd, respectively. Density of leaf MHs did not affect PM resistance.
Gerbera hybrida are cultivated from the hybridization of two natural species: Gerbera jamesonii and Gerbera viridifolia ( Hansen, 1999 ). For this highly heterozygous species, Gerbera hybrida naturally harbors the genetic diversity between different
Cultivated gerberas are diploids resulting from artificial crosses between Gerbera jamesonii and Gerbera viridifolia ( Hansen, 1999 ), both with 2n = 2x = 50 chromosomes. Because of their hybrid origin, cultivated gerberas have been given
between Gerbera jamesonii and another species, Gerbera viridifolia, which is also a native to South Africa. Often F1 hybrids are preferred as a result of their uniformity, vigorous growth, and robustness. Potted Gerbera hybrids have become an important