Odorata Var Research Articles

Comparison of morphological characters, flowering phenology and essential oils of two accessions of Cananga (Cananga odorata var. fruticosa)

Abstract. Na’imah MNR, Kurniawati A, Kisantini. 2024. Comparison of morphological characters, flowering phenology and essential oils of two accessions of Cananga (Cananga odorata var. fruticosa). Biodiversitas 25: 801-810. The Cananga flowers are well-known in various regions of Indonesia as a raw material for essential oils and flower decorations. This study aims to compare the characteristics of two varieties of Cananga originating from Kediri and Cipanas. Both types of Cananga were cultivated in the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) Cikabayan experimental field. Observation was conducted on leaf and flower characteristics, flowering phenology, and essential oil content. The research shows that the Kediri accession exhibited brownish-red leaf petioles, brownish-red branches, and dark brown stems. In contrast, the Cipanas accession had green leaf stalks, green branches, and light brown stems. The flowering phenology of the Kediri accession spanned from the emergence of flower buds to the End stage, lasting 35 days, while the Cipanas accession's flowering period extended for 25 days. The Kediri accession's flowers have more petals and are longer and heavier than the Cipanas accession. The highest essential oil content of the Cipanas accession occurred at the 50% full flowering stage, reaching 0.92%, and gradually decreased as the flowering progressed. In comparison, the Kediri accession oil content is the highest at the end of the flowering stage, with a peak of 0.61%. The highest compound in the Kediri accession is all-trans-Farnesol acetate 14,24%, ?-Copaene 12.23%, and Caryophyllene 15.92%. Meanwhile, in the Cipanas accession, the highest compound content was linalool 18.74% and caryophyllene 16.00%.

Comparative metabolomic analysis reveals nutritional properties and pigmentation mechanism of tea-scented rosehips.

The fruits of the genus Rosa, commonly known as rosehips, have attracted significant attention owing to their rich content of various bioactive compounds. However, their utility is generally secondary to the ornamental appeal of their flowers. This study aimed to explore the quality differences among tea-scented rosehips found in Yunnan, China, including those of Rosa odorata var. odorata (RO), Rosa odorata var. gigantea (RG), and Rosa yangii (RY). Morphological characteristics, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of their fruits were evaluated. The study revealed significant variability in composition and biological activities based on fruit color. RO exhibited the highest levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and vitamin C, with the strongest antioxidant activity (10.99 μmol Trolox·g-1 ), followed by RG (7.91 μmol Trolox·g-1 ) and RY (6.52 μmol Trolox·g-1 ). This supports RO's potential as a functional food source. Untargeted metabolomics identified and quantified 502 metabolites, with flavonoids (171) and phenolic acids (147) as the main metabolites. The differential metabolites among the fruits are primarily enriched for flavonoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. Insights into color formation supported the role of anthocyanins, flavones, and flavonols in fruit color variation. Tea-scented rosehips offer vibrant colors and high nutritional value with potent biological activities. Rosa odorata var. odorata stands out as a functional food source owing to its rich bioactive compounds. These findings lay the groundwork for utilizing rosehips in functional foods, health supplements, and food additives, emphasizing the practical and beneficial applications of Rosa spp. independent of their ornamental value. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Notes on the systematics of Cuscuta sect. Subulatae (subg. Grammica) with the description of Cuscuta mantiqueirana, a new species from Brazil

Cuscutamantiqueirana Costea, S.S. Silva & Sim.-Bianch. a new species from montane cloud forests of the Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil, is described and illustrated. The morphological and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the new species belongs to sect. Subulataeofsubg.Grammica. The new species is related to C.odoratavar.botryoides, C.rotundiflora and C.globiflora from which it differs in narrower calyx lobes and the presence of four stomatiferous lobes or projections at the distal part of the ovary. A detailed morphological comparison with C.odoratavar.botryoides, morphologically the most similar taxon, is provided along with the geographical distribution, ecology and host range of the species. The morphological and phylogenetic relationships of the new species, as well as the diversity of stomatiferous projections, are discussed in the broader context of sect. Subulatae and subg. Grammica. Cuscutabolivianavar.paranensis is considered a synonym of C.odoratavar.botryoides.

Postharvest quality and storage life of Kuini (Mangifera Odorata Griff) at different storage temperature

Mangifera Odorata or locally called Kuini, is a mango species with attractive striking orange flesh and have strong and unique smell, make it special in local market. Research is being carried out in MARDI from seed production to marketing to expose M. odorata to local and export market. Postharvest handling technology is one of importance aspect that has been develop to cater the market needs for commercialization. Proper postharvest handling will reduce postharvest losses, maintain freshness and to prolong storage life to make sure consumer get the premium quality of fruit. In postharvest handling, one of most important factors to maintain quality during handling, distribution and display is storage at the optimum temperature. Effect of different storage temperature on quality and storage life of M. odorata var. Tembaga were carried out. M. odorata at 11 to 12 weeks after fruit set were harvest at MARDI Sintok, Kedah and transported to packinghouse MARDI Serdang for storage study. On arrival at MARDI Serdang, fruit were sorted, washed, drain, packed and stored at different storage temperature (8, 10, 13, 15 and 250C). Visual quality assessment (appearance, disease quality changes), physical (texture, colour (Lightness, hue, chroma)) and chemical (pH, total titratable acidity (TTA), ascorbic acid, soluble solid content (SSC)) analysis were carried out weekly. Results of this study showed that storage duration and different storage duration significantly affected SSC. pH, TTA, chroma of M. odorata. The highest TSS, pH and chroma of M. odorata at 100C and the lowest at 250C. The highest TTA of M. odorata at storage temperature 80C and 130C, and the lowest TTA at 250C. Ascorbic acid content not significantly affected by different storage temperature from 8 to 150C, but significant different compare to ascorbic acid content at ambient storage temperature. Ascorbic acid content of M. odorata significantly lower at 250C compare to storage at 8 C - 150C. Lightness and texture of M. odorata slightly decrease during storage but not significant (P>0.05). Lightness of M. Odorata was not significantly affected by different storage temperature. Hue of M. Odorata significantly affected by storage duration and but not affected by different storage temperature. Hue of M. odorata significantly increased in the first weeks of storage, followed by significant decreased at week 2, maintain until week 4 and significantly decreased at week 5. Quality observed visually showed that freshness of M. Odorata maintain 5 weeks at 80C, 4 weeks at 100C, 2 weeks at 10 – 150C and 1 week at 250C.

Studies on the volatile compounds in flower extracts of Rosa odorata and R. chinensis

Roses are culturally and economically important ornamental plants in the perfume industry. Rosa odorata, the unique rose species in Yunnan region of China, with strong fragrance and abundant varieties, played a prominent role in the formation of modern roses' tea-scent. In the present study, three taxa of Rosa odorata and three taxa of R. chinensis germplasm resources were examined for their chemical profiles of volatile compounds of flower extracts at different flowering stages by sensory analysis and solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC–MS) analysis. A total of 103 volatile organic compounds (VOC) were detected, including 33 major compounds. The release of total VOC was in the following order: OG (R. odorata var. gigantea) > CSR (R. chinensis var. spontanea Red) > CSW (R. chinensis var. Spontanea White) > COB (R. chinensis 'Old Blush') > OE (R. odorata var. erubescens) > OO (R. odorata var. odorata). The production and release of floral VOC in double flowers were delayed by those in single flowers. Principal component analysis showed that some benzodiazepines and sesquiterpenoids were their characteristic substances, which could separate R. odorata and R. chinensis. R. odorata contained more volatile compounds originated from benzodiazepine metabolic pathway, such as 3,5-dimethoxytoluene and phenyl ethanol, which were not found in R. chinensis. In addition, the release of 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene in R. chinensis was significantly higher than that in R. odorata. This study could provide a platform for floral gene mining and floral improvement breeding of ornamental plants to develop new raw materials for plant essential oils.

Morphology and anatomy of the fruit and seed of Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson

Abstract. Nurhayani FO, Wulandari AS, Suharsi TK. 2019. Morphology and anatomy of the fruit and seed of Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson. Biodiversitas 20: 3199-3206. Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson is one of the Annonaceae family which has high benefits for humans such as constructions, furniture, cosmetics, perfumes, and traditional medicines. The planting efforts were needed to support the existence of these plants. These plants have low regeneration and germination. The morphology and anatomy of fruit and seed could enhance the understanding of the reproductive biology in the species. There is little information about the morphology and anatomy of fruit and seed of C. odorata var. odorata forma genuina. The aim of this study is to understand the morphology and anatomy of fruit and seed of C. odorata. The morphologic description was made from the analysis of the fresh fruits and seeds. The anatomical description was made from the analysis of permanent slides with longitudinal sections of the fruits and seeds. The samples were fixed, dehydrated, alcoholized, embedding in paraffin, and stained with safranin-fast green. Data analysis consists of the morphological observation (shape, color, size and the number of seeds per fruits) and the anatomical observation (the pericarp layers of fruit, the seed coat layers, and the structure in the seed). The fruit of C. odorata var. odorata forma genuina was fleshy, ovoid or obovoid, 0.98-2.75 cm long, 0.42-1.63 cm in diameter, and contain 1-12 seeds. The seeds were pale brown, flattened, ovoid, and hard. The fruit anatomy showed that the pericarp layers derived from parenchymatous cells and differentiated into three zones, i.e. exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. The seed has ruminated endosperm with irregular folds. The seed coat was divided into three integuments, i.e. outer, middle, and inner integument. The information about the fruit and seed anatomy of C. odorata var. odorata forma genuina might enhance the understanding of future studies regarding natural reproduction and conservation programs with generative propagation.

Species-specific genes account for the differences in floral transition between continuous-flowering and once-flowering roses

Floral transitions in continuous-flowering Rosa chinensis ‘Old Blush’ and once-flowering R. odorata var. gigantea were analyzed using comparative transcriptome. In total, 3208 and 5825 species-specific unigenes were identified in the transcriptome profiles of ‘Old Blush’ and R. odorata var. gigantea, respectively. Furthermore, these species-specific unigenes were annotated by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis, and the Mercator web tool was used to mine vital metabolic processes. The contents of soluble sugar and starch in ‘Old Blush’ were higher than those in R. odorata var. gigantea at each stage during the floral transition process. The soluble sugar content was negatively correlated with the starch content in ‘Old Blush’. Therefore, we concluded that the vegetative-to-reproductive phase transition of ‘Old Blush’ was largely controlled by carbon metabolism, especially trehalose. In contrast, the floral transition of R. odorata var. gigantea was potentially mediated by low temperatures (vernalization) and the hexose-mediated miR156 pathway.

Characterization of the complete plastid genome of an important Chinese Old Rose Rosa odorata var. pseudindica

Rosa odorata var. pseudindica is a world-famous Chinese Old Rose endemic to the northwest of Yunnan province (China). In this study, the complete plastid genome of R. odorata var. pseudindica was characterized and assembled using a high-throughput sequencing method. The complete plastid genome is a typical quadripartite circular molecule of 156,652 bp length, including a large single-copy region of 85,785 bp and a small single-copy region of 18,761 bp separated by two inverted repeat regions of 26,053 bp. Totally 130 genes were identified, including 85 protein-coding genes (PCG), 37 transfer RNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that R. odorata var. pseudindica and R. odorata var. gigantea formed an independent clade with a 100% bootstrap support.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Rosa banksiae var. normalis (Rosaceae)

The complete chloroplast genome of Rosa banksiae var. normalis was reconstructed by reference-based assembly using Illumina paired-end data. The assembled plastome is 156,575 base pairs (bp) in length, including a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 26,008 bp each, a large single copy region (LSC) of 85,792 bp, and a small single copy region (SSC) of 18,767 bp. A total of 129 genes were predicted from the chloroplast genome, including 84 protein coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. The overall GC content of Rosa banksiae var. normalis chloroplast genome was 37.22%. Phylogenetic analysis with several reported chloroplast genomes showed that Rosa banksiae var. normalis is closely clustered with Rosa odorata var. gigantea, Rosa multiflora, Rosa chinensis var. spontanea, and Rosa roxburghii. The complete chloroplast genome of Rosa banksiae var. normalis provides new insight into Rosaceae evolutionary and genomic studies.

Developmental transcriptome analysis of floral transition in Rosa odorata var. gigantea.

Expression analyses revealed that floral transition of Rosa odorata var. gigantea is mainly regulated by VRN1, COLs, DELLA and KSN, with contributions by the effects of phytohormone and starch metabolism. Seasonal plants utilize changing environmental and developmental cues to control the transition from vegetative growth to flowering at the correct time of year. This study investigated global gene expression profiles at different developmental stages of Rosa odorata var. gigantea by RNA-sequencing, combined with phenotypic characterization and physiological changes. Gene ontology enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between four different developmental stages (vegetative meristem, pre-floral meristem, floral meristem and secondary axillary buds) indicated that DNA methylation and the light reaction played a large role in inducing the rose floral transition. The expression of SUF and FLC, which are known to play a role in delaying flowering until vernalization, was down-regulated from the vegetative to the pre-floral meristem stage. In contrast, the expression of VRN1, which promotes flowering by repressing FLC expression, increased. The expression of DELLA proteins, which function as central nodes in hormone signaling pathways, and probably involve interactions between GA, auxin, and ABA to promote the floral transition, was well correlated with the expression of floral integrators, such as AGL24, COL4. We also identified DEGs associated with starch metabolism correlated with SOC1, AGL15, SPL3, AGL24, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that vernalization and photoperiod are prominent cues to induce the rose floral transition, and that DELLA proteins also act as key regulators. The results summarized in the study on the floral transition of the seasonal rose lay a foundation for further functional demonstration, and have profound economic and ornamental values.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Rosa roxburghii and its phylogenetic analysis

Rosa roxburghii Tratt. is a famous Chinese traditional medicine with long history, here we characterized the whole chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of R. roxburghii by Illumina pair-end sequencing. The complete cp genome was 156,749 bp in length, containing a large single copy (LSC) region of 85,862 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,791 bp, which were separated by a pair of 26,053 bp inverted repeat regions (IRs). The genome contained 139 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes (82 PCG species), 39 tRNA genes (32 tRNA species), and eight ribosomal RNA genes (four rRNA species). Most of the gene species occur as a single copy, while 17 gene species occur in double copies. The overall AT content of R. roxburghii cp genome is 62.8%, while the corresponding values of the LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 64.8, 68.7, and 57.4%, respectively. Further, phylogenetic analysis suggested that R. roxburghii is closely related to R. odorata var. gigantea.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of the floral transition in Rosa chinensis \u2018Old Blush\u2019 and R. odorata var. gigantea

The floral transition is a crucial developmental event, but little is known about the underlying regulatory networks in seasonally and continuously flowering roses. In this study, we compared the genetic basis of flowering in two rose species, Rosa chinensis ‘Old Blush’, which flowers continuously, and R. odorata var. gigantea, which blooms in early spring. Gene ontology (GO) terms related to methylation, light reaction, and starch metabolism were enriched in R. odorata var. gigantea and terms associated with sugar metabolism were enriched in R. chinensis ‘Old Blush’ during the floral transition. A MapMan analysis revealed that genes involved in hormone signaling mediate the floral transition in both taxa. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in vernalization, photoperiod, gibberellin (GA), and starch metabolism pathways converged on integrators, e.g., LFY, AGL24, SOC1, CAL, and COLs, to regulate the floral transition in R. odorata var. gigantea, while DEGs related to photoperiod, sugar metabolism, and GA pathways, including COL16, LFY, AGL11, 6PGDH, GASA4, and BAM, modulated the floral transition in R. chinensis ‘Old Blush.’ Our analysis of the genes underlying the floral transition in roses with different patterns of flowering provides a basis for further functional studies.

Nuclear genetic variation of Rosa odorata var. gigantea (Rosaceae): population structure and conservation implications

Rosa odorata var. gigantea is one of the most important ancestors of modern roses, which owns many merit traits including large flower, early flowering, and tea scent. Due to habitat loss and fragmentation, it has been listed as a rare and endangered species in China. In this study, a total of 424 accessions from 27 locations across its major distribution range were sampled. Its genetic diversity and population structure were assessed using a combination of seven nuclear microsatellite markers and one single-copy nuclear gene. Moderate to high within-population genetic diversity and moderate differentiation among populations were revealed despite its narrow distribution. The sampled 27 populations were resolved into two genetic clusters with limited contemporary and historical gene flows. The Red River Fault Zone was inferred to be a physical or geographical barrier to gene flow between these two genetic clusters. Genetic distances were significantly associated with geographic distances, indicating the isolation-by-distance model. Our ecological niche modeling indicated that R. odorata var. gigantea had high current potential areas in the central Yunnan province and substantial losses of high potential distribution areas in the western Yunnan in the future. Two detected clusters showed significant genetic differentiation and represented two separate evolutionary lineages, which should be recognized as two evolutionary significant units (ESUs) for conservation concerns. These results could be applied for the decision-making and conservation planning for this important species.

The floral transcriptome of ylang ylang (Cananga odorata var. fruticosa) uncovers biosynthetic pathways for volatile organic compounds and a multifunctional and novel sesquiterpene synthase.

The pleasant fragrance of ylang ylang varieties (Cananga odorata) is mainly due to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by the flowers. Floral scents are a key factor in plant-insect interactions and are vital for successful pollination. C. odorata var. fruticosa, or dwarf ylang ylang, is a variety of ylang ylang that is popularly grown in Southeast Asia as a small shrub with aromatic flowers. Here, we describe the combined use of bioinformatics and chemical analysis to discover genes for the VOC biosynthesis pathways and related genes. The scented flowers of C. odorata var. fruticosa were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and a total of 49 VOCs were identified at four different stages of flower development. The bulk of these VOCs were terpenes, mainly sesquiterpenes. To identify the various terpene synthases (TPSs) involved in the production of these essential oils, we performed RNA sequencing on mature flowers. From the RNA sequencing data, four full-length TPSs were functionally characterized. In vitro assays showed that two of these TPSs were mono-TPSs. CoTPS1 synthesized four products corresponding to β-thujene, sabinene, β-pinene, and α-terpinene from geranyl pyrophosphate and CoTPS4 produced geraniol from geranyl pyrophosphate. The other two TPSs were identified as sesqui-TPSs. CoTPS3 catalysed the conversion of farnesyl pyrophosphate to α-bergamotene, whereas CoTPS2 was found to be a multifunctional and novel TPS that could catalyse the synthesis of three sesquiterpenes, β-ylangene, β-copaene, and β-cubebene. Additionally, the activities of the two sesqui-TPSs were confirmed in planta by transient expression of these TPS genes in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves by Agrobacterium-mediated infiltration.

Antioxidant and Nutritional Values of Selected Under-utilisedMangiferaSpecies in Malaysia

Antioxidant properties and nutritional constituents of selected Mangifera species namely, M. caesia, M. foetida, M. laurina, M. longipetiolata, M. odorata, M. pajang, M. pentandra besides some landraces and commercial clones collected from four different sites in Malaysia, were studied. Results showed that M. caesia was the most potential source of antioxidant as evidenced by its most active scavenging activity with 92.09 ± 0.22% radical inhibition or IC50 value of 8.14 ± 0.17 mg/ml. M. pajang showed the greatest amount of total phenolic (7055.65 ± 101.89 mg/100 g) and ascorbic acid (403.21 ± 46.83 mg/100 g) content. Highest protein content was observed in M. odorata var. Kuini KL with 6.02%, while the highest calcium content was found in M. pentandra and M. odorata var. Kuini KR with 140 mg/100 g. M. pentandra was also found to be the best source of potassium with 1930 mg/100 g. In addition to being the potential antioxidants, M. caesia and M. pajang also showed the highest magnesium (130 mg/100 g) and iron (7.31 mg/100 g) content, respectively. The present study indicates that underutilised Mangifera species are a potential source of antioxidants and nutrition with some of them being even better than common mango and other popular fruits.

A New Dolabellane Diterpenoid and a Sesquilignan from Aglaia odorata var. microphyllina

One new diterpenoid, 11alpha,12betaH-dolabella-4,8(17)-dien-3alpha,7beta,18-triol (1) and one new sesquilignan, 9-methoxy-7',8'-cis-7",8"-cis-buddlenol B (2), together with three known compounds, (+)-diasyringaresinol (3), N-methyl-5- hydroxy-delta3-pyrrolin-2-one (4) and marmin (5), have been isolated from Aglaia odorata var. microphyllina. Their structures were determined using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Compound 1 exhibited cytotoxic activity against the K562 cell line with an IC50 value of 12.5 microg/mL.

New sesquiterpenoids from Aglaia odorata var. microphyllina and their cytotoxic activity

One new norsesquiterpene (1), and four new sesquiterpenes (2 – 5), along with four known ones, were isolated from the twigs of Aglaia odorata var. microphyllina C. DC. Monogr. Their structures were established based on spectroscopic methods including HR-ESI-MS, 1D, and 2D NMR. Compounds 1, 3, and 6 showed cytotoxic activity against SGC-7901 tumor cell.

Hybridization of several Aerides species and in vitro germination of its hybrid

The wild species of Aerides namely Aerides odorata , A. odorata var.’Yellow’, Aerides flabellata and Aerides quinquevulnera var. calayan a are fragrant and distributed in Malaysia. Crosses among them attempted to produce primary hybrids which were used to investigate the effects of kinetin and BAP concentrations on seed germination percentage (%) o f A. odorat a × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana and A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata . The total six crosses were: A. odorata var.’Yellow’ × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana , A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana and A. odorata × A. flabellata and their reciprocals. The highest percentage of successful crosses were between A. odorata var.’Yellow × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana (80%) and lowest were A. flabellata × A. odorata (25%), A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana and its reciprocal were 60 and 62%, respectively. Crosses of A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A.odorata var.’Yellow’ and A. odorata and A.flabellata showed 0% success. Pods of A. odorata var.’Yellow’ × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana matured at 76 days, A. flabellata × A. odorata at 116 days, A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var . calayana at 179 days and A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata at 184 days. Pods o f A. flabellata × A. odorata were the largest and the smallest were A. odorata var.’Yellow’ × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana . There was a significant difference in seed germination where the highest germination percentage were with 1.5 mg/L kinetin and the lowest were in 2.0 mg/L BAP for A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana . Germination of A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata was highest in 1.5 mg/L BAP and lowest in 2.0 mg/L kinetin. Seeds of A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana cultured in 1.5 mg/L kinetin took the shortest time for yellowing and greening, 54 and 76 days respectively. 1.0 mg/L kinetin produced first root, as early as 91 days and 1.0 mg/L BAP was the earliest to produce leaf primordial at day 96. The longest time taken for all these stages were in control treatment. The earliest seeds of A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata to yellow were at 1.5 mg/L kinetin within 13 days, greening at 1.0 mg/L BAP for 24 days, first root and leaf primordial at 1.5 mg/L BAP at 33 and 54 days respectively. The longest time taken for this species to yellow and green were at control treatment at days 38 and 50, first root in 1.5 mg/L BAP at day 33 and to produce leaf primordia were in 0.5 mg/L kinetin at day 74. Key words : Aerides, reciprocal, crosses, hybrids.

English

The wild species of Aerides namely Aerides odorata, A. odorata var.’Yellow’,Aerides flabellata and Aerides quinquevulnera var. calayana are fragrant and distributed in Malaysia. Crosses among them attempted to produce primary hybrids which were used to investigate the effects of kinetin and BAP concentrations on seed germination percentage (%) of A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayanaand A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata. The total six crosses were: A. odorata var.’Yellow’ × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana, A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana and A. odorata × A. flabellata and their reciprocals. The highest percentage of successful crosses were between A. odorata var.’Yellow × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana (80%) and lowest were A. flabellata × A. odorata(25%), A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana and its reciprocal were 60 and 62%, respectively. Crosses of A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A.odoratavar.’Yellow’ and A. odorata and A.flabellata showed 0% success. Pods of A. odorata var.’Yellow’ × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana matured at 76 days, A. flabellata × A. odorata at 116 days, A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana at 179 days and A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata at 184 days. Pods of A. flabellata × A. odorata were the largest and the smallest were A. odoratavar.’Yellow’ × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana. There was a significant difference in seed germination where the highest germination percentage were with 1.5 mg/L kinetin and the lowest were in 2.0 mg/L BAP for A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var.calayana. Germination of A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata was highest in 1.5 mg/L BAP and lowest in 2.0 mg/L kinetin. Seeds of A. odorata × A. quinquevulnera var. calayana cultured in 1.5 mg/L kinetin took the shortest time for yellowing and greening, 54 and 76 days respectively. 1.0 mg/L kinetin produced first root, as early as 91 days and 1.0 mg/L BAP was the earliest to produce leaf primordial at day 96. The longest time taken for all these stages were in control treatment. The earliest seeds of A. quinquevulnera var. calayana × A. odorata to yellow were at 1.5 mg/L kinetin within 13 days, greening at 1.0 mg/L BAP for 24 days, first root and leaf primordial at 1.5 mg/L BAP at 33 and 54 days respectively. The longest time taken for this species to yellow and green were at control treatment at days 38 and 50, first root in 1.5 mg/L BAP at day 33 and to produce leaf primordia were in 0.5 mg/L kinetin at day 74. Key words: Aerides, reciprocal, crosses, hybrids.

Untangling the hybrid origin of the Chinese tea roses: evidence from DNA sequences of single-copy nuclear and chloroplast genes

The tea-scented China roses largely correspond to the three recognized double-petaled Rosa odorata (Andrews) Sweet (Rosoideae, Rosaceae) varieties, which are the ancestors of modern hybrid tea roses and had a definite and permanent influence on the evolution of modern garden roses. Here the hypothesis of a hybrid origin of the tea-scented China roses between R. odorata var. gigantea and R. chinensis was tested. Two single-copy nuclear genes of the cytosolic glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and the chloroplast-expressed glutamine synthetase (ncpGS) together with two plastid loci (trnL-F and psbA-trnH) were sequenced for representative accessions of four R. odorata varieties, R. chinensis, and 28 other Rosa species. Phylogenetic relationships were estimated from two nuclear loci using maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses, and a haplotype network was constructed on the combined plastid data using NETWORK. For GAPDH and ncpGS loci, the clonal sequences of the three double-petaled varieties were clustered into two clades, one clade with R. odorata var. gigantea, and the other with partial sequences of R. chinensis, which suggested that the tea-scented China roses were hybrids between R. odorata var. gigantea and R. chinensis. Two plastid loci suggested that R. odorata var. gigantea could be the maternal parent and R. chinensis the paternal parent.