Abstract:
Ilex has rich plant germplasm resources and has been widely planted in landscaping. However, it takes 2~3 years for the seeds to germinate, which is not conducive to breeding. In order to shorten the hybrid breeding cycle of
Ilex and improve the seed germination rate,
I. ×
meserveae 'Blue Angel' was chosen as the female parent and 6
Ilex species (varieties) were chosen as the male parent for artificial hybridization. The embryos of different hybrid seeds were cultured in vitro. The results showed that: (1) MS medium was the most suitable starting medium for embryo cultures in vitro of
I. ×
meserveae ‘Blue Angel’. (2) The fruit setting rates of
I. ×
meserveae ‘Blue Angel’ crossed with 3 Chinese wild
Ilex species were lower (9.75% ~ 17.16%) than those with 3 European
Ilex species (varieties) (20.27% ~ 53.30%). (3) The embryo culture in vitro was an effective method to shorten the germination time of
Ilex seeds by 1 ~ 2 years. (4) The traits of the hybrid offspring are similar to those of the mother
I. ×
meserveae 'Blue Angel'. This study not only provided technical guidance for the creation of
I. ×
meserveae ‘Blue Angel’ germplasm, but also provided reference for the research of embryo culture technology in the cross breeding of
Ilex.