DISTINCTION OF WHITE FREESIA (FREESIA ECKL EX KLATT) VARIETIES BY MEASURING COLOR WITH THE AID OF A CHROMAMETER

The use of a chromameter for measuring colour was studied for variety testing of white freesia's (Freesia Eckl. ex Klatt) in the granting of Plant Breeders' Rights (PER). On the basis of L, a* and b* values as recognized by the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, measured at the perianths, it was possible to reproducibly distinguish varietie s. Quantifying colour enabled also statistical calculation of, for exa mple, replication effects and the correlations between colours of peri anth segments. The chromameter has good prospects for measuring object ive colour measurement in PER research and plant breeding programs, an d improving the communication about colour. Especially when colour cha rts are not available, the chromameter provides a good alternative.