Use of intergeneric hybridization and mutagenesis to go ahead to new colours of Alpinia purpurata (ginger lily).

摘要

Plants of Alpinia purpurata 'Eilen McDonald' were cross-pollinated with a pink selection of Etlingera elatior. Both species have an equal chromosome number 2n=4x=48. Intergeneric hybrids could be generated rather easily. About 20% of the pollinations yielded viable hybrid seeds. Hybrid seedlings were fertile and produced more flowers compared to A. purpurata. Fruits were formed from these flowers without manual pollination. Subsequently, the intergeneric hybrids plants x Alpingera martinica were back-crossed to A. purpurata 'Eilen McDonald'. A population of 300 seeds from this back-cross was treated with gamma radiation at a dose of 30 Gy. Within the treated seedlings new variations in colour and shape of the inflorescence were observed. One plant possessed pure white inflorescences, which has never been found in A. purpura before. The cultivar denomination of this new Alpinia is 'Madikera White'.