INTERSPECIFIC CROSSES BETWEEN PELARGONIUM X HORTORUM AND PELARGONIUM-QUINQUELOBATUM USING EMBRYO RESCUE AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF HYBRIDS BY AN ENDOGENOUS CHS PROBE

Interspecific hybridizations were performed between Pelargonium x hort orum (subgenus Ciconium) and a yellow-flowered species, Pelargonium qu inquelobatum (subgenus Eumorpha). Hybrids, using embryo rescue. were o btained only when P. quinquelobatum was used as the female parent. A p olymerase chain reaction (PCR) cloned Pelargonium chs gene fragment wa s used as probe to characterize hybrids by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Chromatographic flavonoid analysis show ed that hybrids could synthesize both flavonol glycosides and anthocya nin in the petals which were pale yellow to pale pink from the proxima l to the distal part.