| Abstract: | Interspecific hybrids of Alstroemeria ligtu L. hybrid (LH) (2n = 16) and A. pelegrina L. var. rosea (PR) (2n = 16) synthesized by cross-breeding, exhibited a low pollen fertility and failed to produce normal seeds by self-pollination. To produce amphidiploids of LH × PR the ovules of LH × PR were treated with 0.05% aqueous colchicine for 2, 4 or 8 days or the rhizomes of the mature LH × PR were treated with 0.5% aqueous colchicine for 1, 2, 4 or 7 days. A total of 6 mature plants were obtained from the ovules of LH × PR treated with colchicine. Among them 2 plants derived from the ovules treated with colchicine for 4 days were found to be amphidiploids (2n = 32). A total of 17 rhizomes treated with colchicine, sprouted. Among them, 1 and 3 plants developed from the rhizomes treated with colchicine, for 1 and 4 days, respectively, were fertile. The plants developed from seeds obtained by self-pollination were amphidiploids with a chromosome number of 2n = 32. Although each of the amphidiploids induced by colchicine and LH × PR exhibited the characteristics of the parents, the colchicine-induced amphidiploids showed larger flowers than LH × PR and grew more vigorously. Even though the amphidiploids failed to produce normal seeds by self-pollination, pollen fertility was relatively high and their progenies were produced from self-pollinated ovules by ovule culture. The amphidiploids were crossed with LH, PR, A. aurea Graham, A. paupercula Philippi and A. psittacina Lehm., resulting in the production of triploids with a chromosome number of 2n = 24. |
