Agricultural Research Division of IANR
Date of this Version
1996
Citation
HORTSCIENCE 31(1):166. 1996.
Abstract
The Nebraska Agricultural Research Division, Univ. of Nebraska, announces the release of ‘Prairie Petite’ lilac, a selection of Syringa vulgaris L. with a compact, dense growth habit. The name ‘Prairie Petite’ has been registered with the International Registration Authority for Cultivar Names in the Genus Syringa, and we are publishing the registration in HortScience.
Origin
‘Prairie Petite’ lilac originated from a project at the Univ. of Nebraska West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte, begun in 1960 in which lilac seeds were subjected to ionizing radiation. Seeds of an unknown S. vulgaris source were treated at Brookhaven National Laboratory with slow neutron radiation (treatment rate unknown) for 10 h followed by a cold stratification (temperature unknown) treatment for 60 days (Pringle, 1976). Three seedlings grew, one of which was an extreme dwarf after three growing seasons. In 1962, additional seeds were irradiated under about the same conditions.
The seeds were germinated and evaluated for dwarfing tendencies. R-2 generation, open pollinated, seedling plants, derived from the smallest R-1 plants of the 1962 studies, were grown and evaluated for dwarfing characteristics. Several R-2 plants were selected for further testing, and we are releasing the one (NP103) with the name ‘Prairie Petite’.
Comments
Copyright 1996 American Society for Horticultural Science. Used by permission.