Varietal Improvement of <I>Barleria spp.</I>

Abstract

Selfed and reciprocally crossed pollination of four cultivars of Barleria spp. to make 16 combinations Were conducted. It was found that only red cultivar could be selfed. For cross pollination, red cultivar must be used as a male parent and embryo rescue must be adopted as seed pod failed to continue to develop after 24 days Flower colours of the hybrids performed the non-mendelian gene. Casdade and compact type of growth were selected among the hybrids. Three new flower colours were also observed. Cultivars having violet, white and white with violet stripes flowers had the same root tip chromosome number 38 while the red cultivar had 40. Chromosome number of the hybrids lied between 37-40.