Ecker, R., Department of Ornamental Horticulture, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Barzilay, A., Department of Ornamental Horticulture, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Osherenko, E., Department of Ornamental Horticulture, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

The inheritance of flowering time (FT) in a cross between early-flowering (P1) and late-flowering (P2) Matthiola incana genotypes, was investigated. The distribution of FT in F1, F2 and BC1 generations indicated an additive genetic control with partial dominance of earlines alleles, particularly with regard to double-flowered plants. Single-flowered plants flowered earlier than double-flowered plants, averaged within both parental lines; however, the mean difference between singles and doubles was 16 days for P1 as compared with 6 days for P2. This flower-doubleness related delay in FT was found to be heritable, by analysis of F3 family means. The implications of these results on the breeding of stock cultivars is discussed. © 1994 Kluwer Academic Publishers.