KOREASCHOLAR

Because of their attractive and colorful flowers, many species from the genus Aster serve as garden plants. Chrysanthemum owes its popularity to its ornamental and medicinal herb value. It can be used as a cut flower, potted plant, vegetable, and herbal tea. Plant breeders have attempted to identify the available species and produce new cultivars to improve the quality of chrysanthemum for commercial purposes. The use of cytogenetic studies has paved the way for identifying compatibility, ancestry, and other useful information for this undertaking. Thus, an investigation was conducted into the chromosome numbers of 23 wild Asteraceae species in Republic of Korea to determine their genetic characteristics and variations. The somatic chromosome spread has been used for chromosome counting. The results revealed that Asteraceae species have a chromosome range from 18 (diploid) to 54 (hexaploid). These findings provide primary and important information on the chromosome numbers in chrysanthemum plants that can be used to select the right variety for cultivation.

Abstract
Introduction
Materials and methods
    Plant materials
    Ploidy level determination
    Image acquisition
Results and discussion
    Chrysanthemum boreale (2n = 18)
    Chrysanthemum indicum (2n = 18 / 36)
    Chrysanthemum zawadskii (2n = 18 / 36 / 45 / 54)
    Chrysanthemum zawadskii spp. lucidum (2n = 36)
    Aster spathulifolius (2n = 18)
    Variations in ploidy level
References

• Wang Yan(Department of Convergence Science, Sahmyook University)
• Jin Hee Lim(Department of Plant Biotechnology, Sejong University)
• Jae A Jung(Floriculture Research Division, National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science)
• Won Hee Kim(Floriculture Research Division, National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science)
• Ki-Byung Lim(Department of Horticultural Science, Kyungpook National University)
• Raisa Aone M. Cabahug(Chromosome Research Institute, Sahmyook University)
• Yoon-Jung Hwang(Department of Convergence Science, Sahmyook University) Corresponding author