Cross-Compatibility of Cultivated Adzuki Bean (Vigna angularis) and Rice Bean (V. umbellata) with Their Wild Relatives

Abstract

The wild Ceratotropis species which occur in Japan consist of Vigna angularis var. nipponensis, V. nakashimae, V. riukiuensis and V. reflexo-pilosa. The main aim of the present study is to detect cross-compatibility of adzuki bean and rice bean with these wild relatives. The cross of V. nakasbimae with adzuki bean was successful in both directions and viable seeds were produced, while the cross with rice bean was not successful. V. riukiuensis is cross-compatible with adzuki bean and rice bean only when V. riukiuensis is used as male parent and the hybrid seeds showed normal germination. The cross between V. reflexopilosa and the two cultigens adzuki bean and rice bean did not succeed in either direction. The present results suggest that V. nakashimae and V. riukiuensis could be used as gene sources for the adzuki bean breeding programme through interspecific hybridization. Successful hybrids between adzuki bean and rice bean cannot easily be produced. However, since V. riukiuensis is cross-compatible with both adzuki bean and rice bean, V. riukiuensis could be useful as a bridge species between adzuki bean and rice bean.