A Rare Hybrid Combination through Application of Hormone and Embryo Culture

Abstract

SINCE the first report¹ of unidirectional success of the cross, ^{Corchorus olitorius} (♀) × C. capsularis (♂), Swamin-athan and Sulbha² have also obtained hybrids in the same combination. Their reciprocal cross likewise did not yield any hybrid plants confirming the authors' earlier report. The fact that in this combination a small percentage of fruits was set with hormone application in 1958³ encouraged me to repeat the cross at Cornell. The seeds resulting from the hybridization of these two species germinate with difficulty. It was, therefore, decided to develop suitable culture media for growing the hybrid seedlings in case hybrid seeds were obtained. This is to report success in producing a hybrid through the use of embryo culture technique in the hitherto unachieved reciprocal combination, namely, using C. olitorius as the pollen parent in the cross, C. capsularis × C. olitorius.