An interspecific hybrid between leek ( Allium ampeloprasum L.) and garlic ( Allium sativum L.) was produced by hybridization using a fertile garlic clone as a pollen donor and an ovary culture. The hybridity was confirmed by chromosome observation (2n = 3 x = 24) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The interspecific hybrid showed a vigorous growth habit, and its foliage was larger than that of the parental species. The bulb of the interspecific hybrid was heavier than that of the parents, containing an intermediate number of cloves. The hybrid could be propagated vegetatively by planting cloves. The odor compounds of garlic, which leek did not have, were detected in the volatiles of the hybrid with a certain concentration. The results of the study suggest the possibility of direct use of an interspecific hybrid between A. ampeloprasum and A. sativum as a new crop.

The restriction enzyme cleavage patterns of chloroplast DNA of eleven diploid species of Brassica and its allied genera were compared by using five restriction endonucleases.A dendrogram of species relationships as shown by the estimated numbers of recognition site mutations was drawn, the species being grouped into three clusters at the 5 recognition site mutations. The clusters did not always correspond to genera recognized in current taxonomy, while good correspondence was observed with the grouping by fraction I protein large subunits.The species relationships as seen with the present method were significantly correlated with those found in cytogenetical studies but not with those based on numerical morphological taxonomy.

The CO2 compensation point and its relation to the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) type were investigated on the somatic hybrids between Brassica oleracea , a C3 plant and Moricandia arvensis, a C3-C4 intermediate plant. The fragment patterns of cpDNA digested with restriction endonuclease (XhoI) showed that the somatic hybrid plants had the cpDNA of either B. oleracea or M , arvensis. Out of 11 plants investigated, 5 plants had the cpDNA of B. oleracea, while 6 had that of M. arvensis.However, both types of the hybrids showed as high a CO2 compensation point as B. oleracea irrespective of their cpDNA . In this respect, the C3-C4 intermediate character of M. arvensis was not expressed in the hybrids.

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