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

Exercise - 12

Aim: To study hybridization in Lilium
Materials required : Forceps, Needle, Petridish, Brush, Butter paper bags, Scissors and Pencil etc.
Procedure :
Selection of parents: Two suitable varieties are selected as parents.
Emasculation: Emasculation is done before the anthesis of flower but the stigma has become receptive. With the help of scissor the tip of the flower bud is cut and anthers are removed with forceps. Stigma receptivity is at the peak during morning hours. Emasculation is to be done in the evening hours before the anthers are dehisce and stigma is likely to become fully receptive. Care must be taken not to injure the gynoecium.
Pollination: During pollination, mature, fertile and viable pollen from the male parents are placed on the receptive stigma of the emasculated flowers to bring about fertilization. Pollen is collected from freshly dehisced anther and applied to the stigma with the help of camel hair brush.
Bagging: Immediately after pollination, the flowers are enclosed in butter paper bags of appropriate size to prevent random cross-pollination. The bags are tied to the stalk of the flower with the help of pins. Sufficient number of holes is made on the bag for proper aeration.
Tagging: The pollinated flowers are tagged just after bagging. The tags are attached to the flower with the help of thread. The following information is recorded on the tags with a carbon pencil.

1. Date of pollination
2. Name of female and male parents e.g. AxB where A denotes the female parent and B denote the male parent.

Harvesting and storing of F₁ seeds: The crossed heads should be harvested and threshed after maturity. The seed should be dried and properly stirred to protect them from storage pest.

Precautions:

1. During emasculation care must be taken not to injure the gynoecium.
2. At the time of pollination, one must ensure that the stigma is receptive which is shown by sticky ooze from the stigma.
3. Pollen must be collected from freshly dehisced anthers
4. Tagging with proper labels must be attached to every pollinated flower.
5. Instruments used for breeding must be clean and sterile to avoid chance pollination.
6. Proper staking must be done after the whole programme to avoid toppling down of the flower after or at any stage of development.
7. 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.