Application of grafting to interspecific hybridization in Brassica

Abstract

The present authors tried to make the interspecific hybrid between Brassica campestris and B. oleracea more easily by means of grafting (vegetative approximation). Several varieties of turnips were grafted on stocks of cabbage in autumn, 1956. The morphological and cytological variations were not found in the graft generation. In spring, 1957, both scions of grafted plants and control plants (B. compestris) were pollinated with cabbage. From these pollination, no seeds were earned, but the percentage of legumes set was higher than that of the control plants. In next autumn, selfed seeds of the grafted plants and those of the control plants were sown. Three forms in leaf type appeared in the first seed generation of the grafted plants. In Spring, 1958, they were also pollinated with cabbage. From these pollination, no seeds were earned, but the percentage of legumes set was also higher than that of the control plant as similar as the graft generation. Self-fertility in the first seed generation of the grafted plants was also higher than that of the control plants. From these results, it seems to be the probability of getting species-hybrid seeds by means of vegetative approximation (grafting).