Chrysanthemum is among the most important cut flower crops worldwide. Cut flower weight is an important postharvest indicator.
The leaf weight directly affects the cut flower weight and is closely related to the field growth quality of flower plants and the vase life of the cut flower. To analyze the distribution and inheritance of the leaf weight, chrysanthemum cv. Jinba (SM) × cv. Fukashi (SZ) was crossed and their hybrid progeny was assessed. The weights of four zones (top zone, middle zone, basal zone, and petiole) of the 191 hybrids and parent leaves were measured and compared. The results showed that the weight of the basal zone was the highest, followed by the weights of the middle and top zones. Among the zones, the fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) of the top zone exhibited the highest coefficient of variation (CV). The averages of four ratio parameters based on the weights, lengths, and areas were varied as follows: FW/length (L) > FW/area (A) > DW/L > DW/A. For each zone, the CVs of FW/L and DW/L were bigger than those of FW/A and DW/A, respectively. The FWs and DWs of the F1 hybrid leaves in petiole, middle and basal zones showed an upward trend. However, the top zone exhibited the highest variation, and the proportion of low parental weight distribution in the top zone of the leaf was relatively high. The FW of the basal zone was highly correlated with the L and A of the zone.
The results showed that leaf weight traits significantly impact phenotype inheritance in cut chrysanthemums and provided a theoretical basis for the breeding of new cultivars with an optimal combination of leaf weight and stem length.
Sun, Jialu & Wen, Chao. (2025). Phenotypic variation and inheritance of leaf weight in cut chrysanthemum. Euphytica. 221. 10.1007/s10681-025-03476-w.
Source: Research Gate