Petunia: Enhancing commercial cultivars Uncovering the genetics behind desirable traits Decorative Tray in petunia plants could help improve commercial cultivars.While petunia plants are a key feature of the global horticultural industry, the limited genetic variability in commercial plants makes it difficult to improve desired plant traits.Zhanao Deng at the University of Florida, US, and co-workers conducted a genome-wide QTL identification study using a crossbred population combining two petunia species, P.integrifolia and P.
axillaris.The team phenotyped the petunias in an open-air sub-tropical field rather than in an artificial environment like previous studies.They identified and characterized 17 genetic loci for seven important Trailer Tie Bungee aesthetic traits, ranging from flower count to plant size.The petunia species had very different genetic backgrounds, likely stemming from their different geographic origins.
The two species each can contribute novel genes for enhancing cultivated petunia cultivars.