Maternal dominance of intergeneric hybridization between Lycoris and Clivia

Abstract

Distant hybridization can expand genetic variations and is widely applied in plant breeding. Lycoris has high economic value, but the ornamental period is short. To prolong the florescence and leaf period of Lycoris, intergeneric hybridization between Lycoris and Clivia was conducted. The offspring bloomed 7–8 years after sowing. The characteristics of the offspring were observed from three dimensions: annual growth rhythm, morphological feature, and foliage anatomy structure. The hybrids were similar to the maternal plants (L. haywardii) with some variation, but did not show any paternal (C. nobilis) characteristics. The hybrid was identified by molecular marker, only a few paternal bands were amplified. The intergeneric hybrid exhibited absolute unilateral parent dominance that was few reported. This study offers innovative insight into the characteristics of distant hybrids.