Hybridization and fertility of hybrid derivatives of Solatium melongena L. and Solanum macrocarpon L.

Eleven genotypes of Solanum melongena L. and one genotype tentatively identified as Solanum macrocarpon were reciprocally intercrossed. Three patterns of the crossability were determined: a) reciprocally crossable, b) reciprocally non-crossable, and c) unidirectionally crossable. In toto 524 F1 interspecific hybrids were grown during one season under open pollination conditions in the field. A large proportion of the F1 hybrids produced seed set. The highest degree of seed set was recorded in the reciprocal F1 hybrid of S. melongena (cv. 'Burpee Hybrid') and S. macrocarpon (Acc. 21-73). In addition, a limited number of back-cross progeny have been produced. The germinating seeds produced an F2 generation of which some recombinants showed a considerably higher degree of fertility than the F1. This finding suggests the possibility of the transfer of genes for resistance to two-spotted spider mite from S. macrocarpon to S. melongena.