Flower colours and pigments in hybrid tuberose (Polianthes)

The flower pigment constitutions of nine hybrids with pink, reddish purple, purple, orange and yellow flowers obtained from the crossings and back-cro ssings using Polianthes tuberosa 'Single' and 'Double' and Polianthes howar dii were analysed. Among the parents and hybrids, two white flowered cultiv ars of P. tuberosa had neither carotenoids nor anthocyanins, one hybrid had only carotenoids, four hybrids had only anthocyanins and an additional oth er four hybrids along with P. howardii had both carotenoids and anthocyanin s in their petals. The main anthocyanidin in the petals of anthocyanin cont aining flowers is cyanidin with which some hybrids also contained delphinid in. Inducing of the anthocyanins and carotenoids from P. howardii into P. t uberosa can contribute to the extension of the diversity of flower colours in further tuberose breeding. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.