Production of novel flower color mutants from the fragrant cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum x C. purpurascens) by ion-beam irradiation

The fragrant cyclamens 'Uruwashi-no-kaori' (UR), 'Kaori-no-mai' (KM), 'Kokou-no-kaori' (KO) were bred from amphidiploids that were derived by chromosome doubling of the hybrid among Cyclamen persicum 'Strauss', 'Pure White' and fragrant wild species of C. purpurascens. Amphidiploid of GBCP was produced by chromosome doubling of the hybrid between C. persicum 'Golden Boy' and fragrant wild species of C. purpurascens. In order to create novel flower colors, mutation breeding with carbon-ion-beam irradiation was carried out using amphidiploids of UR, KM and KO as well as dihaploids of UR, KM and GBCP. Immature petals or etiolated petioles of the amphidiploids and dihaploids were irradiated, and plant tissue culture techniques were used to produce material for additional investigations. Furthermore, the stepwise improvement of flower color was achieved by irradiating 'ion3', which had been derived from dihaploid of UR by ion-beam irradiation. The mutants thus obtained were evaluated for breeding new cultivars of fragrant cyclamens. The tissues were then analyzed in terms of their flavonoid pigment content and their related genes.