Evolution in Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea Commers.) - A review

Bougainvillea is a popular ornamental, mostly valued for its multi coloured bracts. It can be used in the garden as a shrub, climber, pot plant or as a specimen plant. By keeping the view of its multiple uses there is always demand for the new coloured and forms of bracts in bougainvillea. All the present day colourful bracted bougainvilleas are developed through bud sports, mutations and inter and intra specific hybridization. There is no record of varieties evolved in bougainvillea through classical breeding in different countries. Present article will provide maximum information generated in India by different re-search institutes on classical and mutation breeding on bougainvillea

Assessment of genetic diversity in China aster [Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees

China aster [Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees] is a flowering annual mainly cultivated for loose flower and cut flower, bedding and pot culture. To assess the genetic diversity, 42 genotypes were evaluated for fourteen quantitative traits. The genotypes were found to be highly variable for the traits such as plant height, plant spread, flower stalk length, 100 flower weight, number of flowers per plant, weight of flowers per plant and flower yield per hectare. However, low variability was recorded for vase life and shelf life. The genotypes were broadly grouped into two clusters, which were further divided into cluster 1a, 1b and cluster 2a, 2b, respectively. All the genotypes in cluster 1a were vigorous and medium flowering, whereas, genotypes in cluster 1b were tall, erect, vigorous and late flowering. The cluster 2a comprises of the genotypes with short stature, small flower and early flowering, however, cluster 2b contains only two genotypes. In principal component analysis (PCA) PC1 was highly correlated to flower yield, weight of flowers/plant, flower stalk length and plant height and PC2 was highly positively correlated to shelf life and vase life and negatively correlated to 100 flower weight. The results suggested that the existing variation in China aster genotypes could be used for the development of trait-specific novel genotypes

Estimation of heterobeltiosis in F1 hybrids of China aster [Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees]

Heterosis over better parents was estimated in thirty crosses of China aster involving six lines viz., Matsumoto Pink, Matsumoto Red, Matsumoto Rose, Matsumoto Yellow, Matsumoto Scarlet and Matsumoto White and five testers viz., Phule Ganesh Violet, Phule Ganesh Purple, IIHRJ3-2, IIHRG13 and Local White during 2016-17 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru during 2016-17. Results revealed that the cross L6 × T5 exhibited highest positive significant heterobeltiosis at 5% level of significance for plant height (33.85), flower stalk length (73.76), number of flowers per plant (101.18), weight of flowers per plant (47.90) and flower yield per hectare (47.91). The cross L1 x T3 exhibited maximum negative heterobeltiosis for days to first flowering (-47.41). L5 x T4 recorded the maximum positive heterobeltiosis (at 5%) for flower head diameter (26.44) and 100 flower weight (3.41)