INTERSPECIFIC INCOMPATIBILITY IN GLORIOSA ROTHSCHILDIANAAnandhi Selvarasu and Rajamani KandhasamyAbstract Hybridization enables the gene transfer, which may lead to the additional source of variation for the desirable horticultural traits. An experimental study was carried out to study the flower morphology and to understand the cross ability relationship of Gloriosa rothschildiana with Gloriosa superba. G. rothschildiana crossed with five genotypes of G. superba in both directions. The flowers of G. rothschildiana were borne on a short pedicel (7.73 cm) and were solitary. The flower size was small (1.60 g). There were six small crimson colored petals (3.60 x 1.45 cm) with short stamen (3.34 cm) and pistil (3.39 cm). The pod growth of 2.00 cm length was observed within 25 days of pollination and there after shrinked irrespective of the cross combination. None of the pod reached the desired harvestable stage. Post fertilization barrier was observed in both direct and reciprocal crosses of gloriosa species. This may be due to embryos abortion and degeneration during embryogenesis which needs to studied. |