Recently, the National Botanical Garden (North Garden) exhibited two red konjac (Amorphophalus titanum) fruit order in the greenhouse was like two bright torches, full of joy and joy.
In July 2022, the National Botanical Garden (Northern Garden) achieved the first flowering period of the konjac group. The greatest significance is that the troll konjac that can only be pollinated by cross-pollinated can pollinate each other between individuals who bloom at the same time.
Although Beijing Botanical Garden (now the North Garden of the National Botanical Garden) had achieved tetrapler results in 2013, the white konjac (Amorphophalus albus) pollen was used for hybridization, which only stimulated the fruit to swell and did not obtain fully mature seeds. This year, the pollen collected from a single plant in the group blossom was pollinated downwards in turn, and the fruits swelled and colored smoothly after the flowering. In August, the fruits were dissected and found obvious embryos. Subsequently, the inflorescence stalks grew rapidly and the fruits grew rapidly. Due to the precious fruits, the staff of the National Botanical Garden did not easily cut the fruit again. More than two months later, the staff conducted a second anatomical observation of the trolley konjac fruit with anticipation. They were surprised to find that the seeds had taken shape and the seeds had developed significantly. The seeds were separated from the flesh, achieving the first trolley konjac fruit in China!
This achievement reflects the advanced cultivation and protection level of the National Botanical Garden, and is of great significance to the ecological conservation of rare and endangered plant konjac. In the future, the National Botanical Garden will further strengthen scientific research on konjac and strive to achieve new breakthroughs.
(National Botanical Garden WeChat official account)
Editor: Zhao Shanshan
