Induced Polyploidy in Floriculture

Abstract

Some of the possibilities of utilizing colchicine-induced polyploidy in ornamental plants are discussed. The tetraploid ornamentals produced at the U. S. Hort. Station, Beltsville, Md., and the N. Y. Agric. Expt. Station at Geneva, N. Y., are descr. and their fertility discussed. The fertility secured in the hybrid when 2 sterile auto-tetraploid Antirrhinum vars. were crossed suggests an amphidiploid behavior. In several of the mutant forms obtained from treated plants, the chromosome number was unchanged. It is suggested that the production of certain aneuploids from treated plants indicates a possible origin for new vars. of flowers, since certain vars. of iris are already known to be aneuploids.