Genomic constitutions and flower characteristics of selected Aranda orchid cultivars

Summary Ten Aranda cultivars commercially grown in Singapore were selected to study their genomic constitutions and flower characteristics. Cytological evidence and breeding records of these cultivars showed that they are of three genomic classes. Four of them are diploid with AV genomes (one Arachnis and one Vanda genome), another four are triploid with AVV genomes and the remaining two are tetraploid with AVVV genomes. Sizes of flowers as well as of sepals and petals generally show significant increases from diploid to tetraploid. This trend reflects the increasing influence of Vanda resulting from additional one and two Vanda genomes in triploid and tetraploid respectively as compared to diploid cultivars. Among the three genomic classes, diploid cultivars generally bear less flowers per spray than those of triploid and tetraploid although exceptions may occur. There is no clear trend in the length of inflorescences although diploid cultivars tend to have less compact spray with flowers more distantly spaced out.