Commercial Floriculture

Techniques of Hybridization

Steps:
1. The anthers of stamens are removed from female parents just before the flower open/ bud stage. It is done with scissor/sharp knife without damaging the stigma this process is called ‘emasculation’.
2. Petals of the flower which is selected as the male parent are removed and when the anthers burst they are gently rubbed on the stigma of the female parents.
3. Butter paper bag is covered over the crossed flower to avoid further cross-pollination by insects.
4. The pollinated flowers are labeled indicating the cross and date of crossing.
5. Within a week of pollination the ovary swells if it is successfully crossed and forms the hip’ when the hip turns yellow/orange/red is the indication of its maturity. It takes about 3-6 months for maturity after pollination.
6. Harvest at brown stage, dry them and extract the seeds. Most of the rose seeds are in dormancy when they mature. Before sowing the fresh seeds they have to be stratified at 1.6 –4.4oC for 6 weeks in cold storage. In some species it requires up to 10 weeks it is better to treat the seeds with warm and then cold stratification for uniform germination.
7. Sow the seeds about 5cm deep in carefully prepared media.
8. It takes several days to weeks for germination.
9. When the seedlings are 10-12 cm they are transplanted into pots and
10. Subsequently they may be used for budding on the best root stock.

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