Investigations on cross-breeding and some characteristics of seedlings obtained from the crossing of wild Iranian rose (Rosa iberica Stev.) with Damask rose and some commercial rose cultivars

Rosa iberica Stev. is one of the 14 wild rose species native to Iran. This plant has fragrant flowers and leaves. Therefore, one of the most important objectives of this study was to investigate the of crossability of R. iberica with R. damascena and commercial cultivars of Dolce Vita, Avalanch and Red One, as well as embryonic germination and some morphological characteristics of their offspring. This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of crossbreeding of R. iberica with R. damascena and 3 commercial cultivars of Rose Avalanch, Red One and Dolce Vita in a completely randomized block design for hybridization and a completely randomized design for embryo rescue in 5 repeat performed. The results of this study showed that the highest percentage of hip formation and the highest average number of seeds per hip from the intersection of R. iberica with R. damascena was 34% and 13.40%, respectively. Also, R. iberica as a pollinating parent was different from R. damascena seed parent and produced few hip and seeds. The results of crosses showed that the highest height, average number of leaves and green leaf percentage and chlorophyll content were belonged to id5 genotype. The only cross between R. iberica as the pollinating parent and the Red One cultivar as the parent was not successful, and the hips dried up and fell off the plant a few days after the crossing. In the crossings of R. iberica with Avalanch cultivar and also R. iberica with Dolce Vita cultivar, the average number of seeds per hip was 10.20% and 6.80%, respectively, and in the crossings between R. iberica as the pollinating parent with Avalanch cultivar as mother parent and also R. iberica as pollinator parent with Dolce Vita cultivar as mother parent, a large number of seedlings produced in the early stages of growth on MS culture medium were died, and in crossing of R. iberica with Avalanch and Dolce Vita resulted in the highest number of offspring. It can be attributed to gametophytic incompatibility, meiotic abnormalities and accumulation of recessive genes or differences in the ploidy levels of the resulting offspring. Findings of this study showed that R. iberica with production of the highest number of hips and high average seed production is very suitable for selection as a parent and also the resulting genotype is superior to the parent in most parameters studied, which can be used in upcoming breeding program for the traits of flowers, the aroma of flowers and leaves.