Inheritance of anthocyanin pigmentation in flower color of chrysanthemum

Abstract

Inheritance of the flower color in chrysanthemum particularly anthocyanin pigmentation was analyzed by using spectrophotometry. Genetic analysis of the inheritance of anthocyanin pigmentation showed that chrysanthemum cultivars used in this experiment belonged to three groups. In the first group the gene for anthocyanin pigment biosynthesis appeared in the homozygous recessive state. The cultivars belonging to this group had either white or yellow flower and can be useful for testing lines for anthocyanin pigmentation. In the second group, the genes were in the heterozygous condition. While in the third group, the presence of two genes in the heterozygous state with two distinct genes was noted. It was suggested that a chimerical structure be considered in the analysis of the flower color inheritance. The possible role of the gene in the step involving dihydroflavonol to anthocyanin formation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis was also presented.