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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Washington, D.C. » National Arboretum » Floral and Nursery Plants Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165101
Title: MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS AND MOLECULAR MARKERS FOR SELECTION OF CAMPANULA PORTENSCHLAGIANA HYBRIDS

Author
item SONG, C - KOREA NAT'L AG COLLEGE
item LEE, N - EWHA WOMANS UNIV, KOREA
item Roh, Mark

Submitted to: Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2004
Publication Date: 12/12/2004
Citation: Song, C.Y., Lee, N.S., Roh, M.S. 2004. Morphological characters and molecular markers for selection of Campanula portenschlagiana hybrids. J. of Kor. Soc. for Hort. Sci. 45:261-269.

Interpretive Summary: The most commonly grown campanulas as potted or garden plants in Europe and the USA are Campanula carpatica Jacq., C. medium L., and C. portenschlagiana Schultes. Campanula portenschlagiana is an excellent plant for a retaining wall and rock garden. A vegetatively propagated cultivar like 'Jairai' in Japan (CPJ) is more compact and floriferous than a new cultivar from Colorado (CPC). Further, seedlings from Jelitto Staudensamen, Schwarmstedt, Germany (CPG) showed different growth and flowering characters such that stems are long and pendulous. Flowers of CPC are the largest among three selection. Breeding was started to create new C. portenschalagiana hybrids with large flowers and compact growth for container plant use, or trailing characters for hanging basket use. Selection of hybrid seedlings at the early growth stage would be advantageous in breeding if characterization of hybrids at seedling stages using molecular markers could be related to the morphological characters at flowering. Comparisons among 15 morphological characters employing 15 characters and molecular markers generated by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) were made to aid selection processes. In general, quantifiable characters such as flower size and stem length were inherited, respectively, from CPC and CPG. Genetic diversity of C. portenschlagiana germplasm was demonstrated in both morphological characters and molecular markers. However, seedlings with large flowers, compactness, and trailing characters can not be selected based on molecular markers.

Technical Abstract: With limited, but diverse genetic resource with regard to flower size, arrangement of inflorescences, stem length, and growth habits, 3 selections of C. portenschlagiana were collected: a clonal selection of 'Jairai' from Japan (CPJ) and Colorado (CPC), and seedlings selections from Germany (CPG). These 3 selections were crossed to select seedlings with large flowers, compact and full stature, or with pendulous growth characters based on the analyses of morphological characters and molecular markers. Comparisons among 15 morphological characters employing 15 characters and molecular markers generated by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) were made to aid selection processes. In general, quantifiable characters such as flower size and stem length were inherited, respectively, from CPC and CPG. The flower type of seedlings differed greatly by showing CPC type flowers in CPC x CPG-B 10 or CPG-B flower types in CPC x CPG-B 18. Most of hybrids except CPB-B x CPC 8 and CPC x CPG-B 18 had full inflorescences that covered the entire leaf canopy as with CPJ. According to Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCA), stem habits, flower colors, and qualitative descriptors were mostly responsible for the variance of PRIN 1, whereas length of corollas, flower sizes, and quantifiable characters were mostly responsible for the variance of PRIN 2. Thus, these morphological characters could be used for the selection of compactness and flower sizes in hybrid populations. Parents, CPC and CPJ were clustered together, but somewhat distantly clustered with seedlings that produced large flowers. A two-dimensional plot based on molecular markers showed that CPC was clustered with seedlings with large flowers. Genetic diversity of C. portenschlagiana germplasm was demonstrated in both morphological characters and molecular markers. However, seedlings with large flowers, compactness, and trailing characters can not be selected based on molecular markers.