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Mutation breeding of Streptocarpus

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Summary

Leaves of Streptocarpus Constant Nymph have been irradiated with X-rays and fast neutrons. Considering the production of plantlets on the rooted leaf-halves as well as the frequency of mutants among them, the optimal dose for X-rays was found to be 3 krad.

Like Saintpaulia ionantha, Streptocarpus produces solid mutants after irradiation, a fact which indicates that each plantlet, developing from an adventitious bud, originates from only one cell. Moreover, a high mutation frequency has been observed as well as a wide variability among the 857 mutants obtained.

Application of a heavy X-ray dose (4–5 krad) a few days after colchicine treatment resulted in a frequency of tetraploids which was twice the one obtained after colchicine treatment alone.

A number of mutants and (auto)tetraploids have been propagated and tested for their commercial value. Sofar, 5 mutants have been commercialized, viz. Purple Nymph, Mini Nymph, Blue Nymph, Netta Nymph and Cobalt Nymph.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Atomic Sciences in Agriculture (ITAL), Wageningen, The Netherlands

    C. Broertjes

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  1. C. Broertjes
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Broertjes, C. Mutation breeding of Streptocarpus . Euphytica 18, 333–339 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397780

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