INHERITANCE OF CRESTED FROND IN ASPLENIUM NIDUS AND NEPHROLEPIS EXALTATA

In many fern genera with horticulture value, frond crestation is a highly desirable trait in any normally non-crested frond species. The knowledge on genetic control of the trait is valuable for a fern breeding program. An inheritance study for crested frond in Asplenium (Emperor Group) and Nephrolepis ‘Gretnae’ was thus performed. The selfing progeny showed a discrete segregation. The chi-square analysis revealed that the trait was under the control of dominant allele. For the tetraploid Asplenium nidus mutant, a simplex status was confirmed. Two complete dominant alleles of C and F with additive epistatic interaction were postulated to be responsible for frond variation of crestation patterns. In Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Gretnae’, three groups of progeny were recorded. An S allele which was incompletely dominant over an s allele was suggested.