SOMATIC HYBRIDISATION BETWEEN PELARGONIUM x HORTORUM AND P. x DOMESTICUM TOWARDS RESISTANCE TO XANTHOMONAS PELARGONII

Sexual crossing between Pelargonium x hortorum (susceptible to Xanthomonas hortorum pv. pelargonii Xhp) and P. x domesticum (resistant) never succeeded. Therefore somatic hybridisation were attempted. Protoplast fusions were carried out using a polyethylene-based mass fusion protocol. Putative somatic hybrid recovering was based on hybrid vigor, and on resistance to Xhp culture filtrate. Fusion experiments yielded a high number of putative hybrid calli. More than 1000 of them were induced to regenerate. Until now eleven shoots were rooted in vitro and 6 were successfully acclimatized in the greenhouse. Their hybrid status was evaluated (AFLP, flow cytometry, chromosome counting). Fifty percent of putative hybrid calli displayed resistance to Xhp. culture filtrate.

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