Intergeneric Hybrid between Japanese Pear and Quince

Abstract

Intergeneric crossing between Japanese pear Pyrus serotina Rehd. var. culta Rehd., and quince, Cydonia oblonga Mill., was made in 1972. From 60 Japanese pear flowers pollinated with quince pollen, 23 fruits were set and 97 fertile seeds were obtained from them. When the seeds were planted in a greenhouse in the next spring, 47 seedlings were obtained with a germination percentage of 48.5.
Among them, only 7 seedlings survive to the present time while the others of the seedlings died off at the young stages. One of 7 seedlings (No. PQ-5) flowered in the spring of 1983, and proved to be an intergeneric hybrid from the analysis of peroxidase isozymes.
Morphological characteristics of this hybrid are as follows.
Young leaf: Much pubescent on young leaves and upper part of current shoot.
Ligh yellowish-green, slightly tinged with brown.
Adult leaf: Ovate in shape with acute apex, truncate base and serrulate margin.
Smooth on the backside. Petiole length intermediate between the parents. Flower: White in color, 5_??_7 petals per flower and 1_??_3 flowers per cluster.
Many pollen sterile.