Characterization of hybrids between Allium cepa L. and Allium nutans L

Wild species of Allium L. genus are not only a harbor of resistance to biotic factors such as pathogens and pests and abiotic factor such as drought, cold and freezing, but also have the biochemical composition differed from cultural species. Crosses between wild and cultured species in Allium genus are usually performed to develop breeding forms with improved content of biochemically valuable compounds. Hybrids F1 obtained from combination Allium сера x Allium nutans, where varieties 'Stuttgarter Riesen’ and 'Strigunovskiy’ served as parental forms from A.cepa were studied. Biochemical contents and morphological descriptions of obtained plants were also given in the article. NO3, К+, ascorbic acid, dry matter and total water-soluble antioxidants were analyzed in the plants. Increased content of NO3- was found in accession N13 F1 of A. cepa x A. nutans combination that was higher than in other accessions, including control plants. The accession N15 had a much higher content of Cl- and K+ in leaves than in other accessions. The content of ascorbic acid in all hybrids was 2-3 times less than in control accessions and varied from 15.8 to 28.6 mg%. All hybrid accessions had less dry matter content than in control accessions, achieving 9.3 to 11.7%, in control plants, 12.7. The lowest antioxidant content, 15.3 mg/g (conc. in ascorbic acid units), was found out in accession N3, but the highest antioxidant content 37.3 mg/g (conc. in ascorbic acid units) was in accession N16; it was twice higher than in control plants. The obtained hybrid F1 plants from combination A. cepa x A. nutans can be then selected for their best biochemical composition.