Flower colours and pigments in hybrid tuberose (Polianthes)

Abstract The flower pigment constitutions of nine hybrids with pink, reddish purple, purple, orange and yellow flowers obtained from the crossings and back-crossings using Polianthes tuberosa ‘Single’ and ‘Double’ and Polianthes howardii were analysed. Among the parents and hybrids, two white flowered cultivars of P. tuberosa had neither carotenoids nor anthocyanins, one hybrid had only carotenoids, four hybrids had only anthocyanins and an additional other four hybrids along with P. howardii had both carotenoids and anthocyanins in their petals. The main anthocyanidin in the petals of anthocyanin containing flowers is cyanidin with which some hybrids also contained delphinidin. Inducing of the anthocyanins and carotenoids from P. howardii into P. tuberosa can contribute to the extension of the diversity of flower colours in further tuberose breeding.