A Hybrid Between Ornithopus sativus and O. compressus cv. Pitman Obtained With the Aid of Ovule-Embryo Culture

Abstract

A single chimera1 F₁ interspecific hybrid between Ornithopus sativus ( female ) , pink serradella, and O. compressus cv. Pitman, West Australian Pitman serradella, was obtained by ovule-embryo culture with transplanted nurse endosperm from gorse, Ulex europaeus. Although the growth form was abnor- mal and in vitro pollen germinability less than 10%, F₁-F₅ generations were obtained. Plants of these succeeding generations showed variability for growth habit and fertility, with a progressive improvement towards normal growth and fertility above 90%. It proved possible to select a highly fertile group of advanced generation hybrids which combined the productivity and seed hullability of O. sativus with the more prostrate habit and hard seed that confer greater persistency on O. compressus.