INHERITANCE OF COLOR IN THE EGGPLANT

Abstract

(1) Inheritance studies on the color in the eggplants have been made by various investigators but the first one to attempt an analysis was Halsted (5) who reported a 3:1 ratio of green to white color of flesh and a similar ratio of purple to colorless skin; also a 9:3:3:1 ratio of purple, green, pink, and white fruit. Several workers have pointed out the dominance of purple color over white in fruits. Bayla (1) apparently regarded F1 generations of reciprocal crosses as dissimilar. (2) The methods employed in the various crosses are given. (3) Seedlings in some of the crosses could be classified according to their color during the very early stages. Plants of the Green variety remain green throughout the entire life cycle, those of Fajardo and White Pompadour are green during the first two or three weeks only and then turn light purple; while those of Camuy, Black Beauty and University are purple from the very beginning. (4) Intense purple color of Camuy is inherited in a 3:1 ratio to Green. The same ratio exists between the green of Green and the purple of University and Black Beauty. The University purple is inherited in the same ratio in respect to Fajardo green purple striped. For all these a unit factor Pr pr is assumed. (5) Green color of fruit in the crosses studied is always associated with green plant color; and purple, red and pink with purple color of plant. White corolla is always associated with green color of plant; striped anthers with a recessive factor for fruit or plant color. (6) Red, purple and pink color of fruit is dominant over green and inherited in a 3:1 ratio. Likewise green purple striped is dominant over white purple striped and is inherited in a 3:1 ratio. Purple was proved to be also dominant over white purple striped. Green purple striped acts as a recessive in respect to pink or purple, but as a dominant in respect to white purple striped. (7) Violet or purple corolla is dominant over white corolla. They stand in a 3:1 ratio in the F2 generation. (8) Striping of anthers is dominant over non-striping and is inherited in a 3:1 ratio. (9) A unit factor appears to exist for each of the characters; color of plant, color of fruit, color of corolla and striping of anthers. The following allelomorphic pairs of factors are assumed: plant color Pr pr, fruit color Cc, corolla color C1c1, and striped character of anthers St st. A. single factor might be assumed as affecting all the characters here involved. (10) There may be complete linkage between these characters White corolla and non-striped anthers always stand for green fruit, and green plant (all recessive characters). On the other hand striped anthers always go with bright colored fruit and with purple plants. (11) The composition of a green plant with white corolla, green fruit and non-striped anthers may be represented as prpr cc C1 c1 stst, or as prpr, cc, etc.