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The article focuses on two low-growing cultivars of black chokeberry, 'UCONNAM012' (Ground HugVR) and 'UCONNAM165' (Low Scape MoundVR), highlighting their landscape adaptability and breeding origins. Topics include the characteristics, landscape use, and clonal propagation methods of these cultivars, emphasizing their potential as ornamental shrubs with multiseason interest and ecological benefits.

This document provides information about a specific cultivar of black chokeberry called 'UCONNAM166'. It is a non-rhizomatous shrub with upright growth and compact form, and it does not produce fruit. The plant is well-suited for full sun or partial shade conditions and can tolerate challenging landscape situations, such as dry soils. It has ornamental features throughout the year, including white flowers in May, shiny green leaves in summer, and colorful fall foliage. The cultivar is mostly sterile and unlikely to establish in native habitats. The document also provides information on the clonal propagation and availability of the cultivar. [Extracted from the article]

Intergeneric hybridization between Aronia and Pyrus may provide a pathway for developing novel fruit types with larger, sweeter fruits, while maintaining the high levels of biologically health-promoting compounds present in Aronia fruits. Here we describe a deleterious genetic incompatibility, known as hybrid necrosis or hybrid lethality, that occurs in intergeneric F1 hybrids of Aronia melanocarpa x Pyrus communis and 3Sorbaronia dippelii x Pyrus communis. Pollination experiments revealed that maternal A. melanocarpa and 3S. dippelii pistils are compatible with pollen from P. communis. Controlled pollinations using different mating combinations resulted in varying levels of fruit and seed set. Because every combination produced at least some viable seeds, prezygotic incompatibility does not appear to be present. We attempted to recover putative intergeneric progeny via either in vitro germination or in vitro shoot organogenesis from cotyledons. Progeny of putative hybrids from A. melanocarpa x P. communis only survived for a maximum of 14 days before succumbing to hybrid lethality. Regeneration of 3S. dippelii x P. communis was successful for two seedlings that have been maintained for an extended time in tissue culture. These two seedlings have leaf morphologies intermediate between the two parental genotypes. We also confirmed their hybrid status by using AFLPs and flow cytometry. Putative intergeneric hybrids were grown out ex vitro before showing symptoms of hybrid necrosis and dying after 3 months. Eventually micrografts failed, ultimately showing the same symptoms of hybrid necrosis. These results show that intergeneric hybridization is possible between Aronia and related genera in the Rosaceae, but there are postzygotic barriers to hybridity that can prevent the normal growth and development of the progeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]