Breeding and Seed Production of Ornamental Crops (2+1)

Exercise - 10

Aim: To study hybridization in Gladiolus

Materials required: Forceps, Needle, Petridish, Brush, Butter paper bags, Scissors and Pencil etc.

Procedure:
Hybridization in gladiolus is done by hand emasculation and hand pollination to protect the pollen parent from any contamination, the florets are covered with butter paper bags. Each floret which is to be used as seed parent must be emasculated prior to its opening. All the anthers should be removed and the tips of tips of the floret should be tied with soft thread. Emasculation is done preferably in the afternoon or morning (before 7.30 a.m.) stigma is receptive between 10 a.m. and 1pm when it becomes feathery. Pollen from the male parent is dusted on the sticky stigmatic surface. This process is repeated on the following day of emasculation to ensure pollination. Four or five lower florets should be used for hybridization and the rest part of the spike should be removed as soon as the pollination of the 4th or 5th bud is completed. After pollination the florets are again tied at the top with thread and tags mentioning the parentage and date of crossing should be tied with the florets. If the pollination is successful the style will begin to wilt within 48 hours. The fully matured capsule when turn brown is harvested.

Precautions

1. During emasculation care must be taken not to injure the gynoecium.
2. Pollen must be collected from freshly dehisced anthers
3. Tagging with proper labels must be attached to every pollinated flower.
4. Instruments used for breeding must be clean and sterile to avoid chance pollination.
5. Proper staking must be done after the whole programme to avoid toppling down of the flower after or at any stage of development.
6. Good sanitation should be maintained in and around the area. All the debris and anthers petals etc. should be removed during emasculation and must be disposed off properly.