The Relationship Between Genotypes at the Red Flower Colour Loci (R1/R1 and R2/R2) and Four Basic Flower Colour Forms in Zonal Pelargoniums (Pelargonium X Hortorum L.H. Bailey)

Abstract

The relationship between genotypes at two red flower colour loci (R1/rl and R2/r2) and four basic flower colour forms (red, salmon, rose-pink and soft-pink) in zonal pelargoniums (Pelargonium x hortorum Bailey L.H.) was studied using complementation tests. The results confirmed that red flower colour is due to complementary gene interaction at the two loci hence R1-R2 plants with rose-pink and salmon colored flowers always complemented each other to produce red-flowered plants among theprogenies. The two flower colour forms were also the only ones that complemented each other to produce red-flowered progeny.


The genotypes r1r1R2 and r1r1r2r2 always corresponded to salmon, rose-pick and soft-pink flower colours respectively. Thus genotypes at the two red flower colour loci (R1/r1 and R2/r2) were also directly responsible for salmon, rose-pink and soft-pink flower colours in zonal pelargoniums.

UNISWA Research Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology Vol 3 (2) 2000: pp 66-70