AFRICAN VIOLET GENETICS

Abstract

The African violet seems to be a favorable species for genetic research for the following reasons:

1. It is an ideal house plant and vast numbers are grown each year.

2. Reproduction is extremely easy both from cuttings and from seeds. No precautions are needed to prevent self pollination as such does not occur.

3. Hundreds of thousands of plants are produced from cuttings each year. Consequently new dominant mutations are found in large numbers. These will facilitate genetic chromosome mapping.

4. A number of the named varieties are polyploids and crosses with the diploids are successful.

5. The haploid chromosome number is IS. The chromosomes in pollen mother cell division are fairly long but at present do not seem to be as interesting as those of maize.

The modes of inheritance of 10 well known characteristics of the African violet are demonstrated. As this work was done as a hobby, it indicates that very rapid progress with the genetics of African violets could be made if one were to give the work his undivided attention.