Natural hybridization between Solanum acaule Bitt. and S. megistacrolobum Bitt. in the province of jujuy,Argentina

Summary Evidence is provided that hybridization of the tetraploid (2n=4x=48), self-fertile tuber-bearing species Solanum acaule Bitt. with the diploid (2n=2x=24), self-incompatible, tuber-bearing S. megistacrolobum Bitt. takes place in several localities of the province of Jujuy in the high, cold plateaux of the Argentine Puna. The triploid hybrids (2n=3x=36) closely resemble S. acaule in growth habit, leaf morphology and floral structures and for this reason they can be easily overlooked for that species in the field. Experimental data show that S. acaule can be crossed with S. megistacrolobum though the crossability is rather low and variable according to the particular cross considered. The artificial hybrid obtained compares well with the natural hybrid in morphology and chromosome number. The hybrids, though almost completely male sterile, are successful colonizers of disturbed areas around farmers' dwellings, cattle enclosures and other areas where the soil is rich in organic matter.There is some evidence that the Tilcara material of S. acaule subsp. aemulans and the hybrids of S. acaule x S. megistacrolobum have some characters in common, which can be interpreted as having a similar origin.It is postulated that S. acaule subsp. aemulans, in Jujuy at any rate, is not a primitive form of S. acaule as thought by Hawkes and Hjerting, but rather a fertile hybrid derivative of S. acaule x S. megistacrolobum through the functioning of 2n gametes.We also provide evidence that S. bruecheri Correll should not be considered a hybrid of S. acaulle x S. megistacrolobum but a synonym for S. gourlayi Hawkes. The new name, S. x indunii Okada et Clausen, is proposed to designate this hybrid.     

Cytoplasmic homology between Aegilops mutica Boiss. and Ae. ovata L.

Summary Triticum aestivum L. em Thell. (2n=42; AABBDD), and T. durum Desf. (2n=28; AABB) genomes were substituted into the cytoplasms of Aegilops mutica Boiss. (2n=14; M_tM_t), Ae. heldreichii Holzm. (2n=14; MM), Ae. uniaristata Vis. (2n=14; M^uM^u), and Ae. ovata L. (2n=28; C^uC^uM^oM^o), to identify the M-genome diploid cytoplasm donor of Ae. ovata. Substitution of the T. durum genome into Ae. uniaristata cytoplasm resulted in a large proportion of shriveled inviable seeds. A few plump viable seeds were obtained all of which produced male-sterile plants having one univalent or telocentric chromosome from Ae. uniaristata. The T. aestivum plants having Ae. uniaristata or Ae. mutica cytoplasms were fertile. However, Ae. mutica was similar to Ae. ovata in the induction of delayed maturity and tall robust growth habit to the T. durum and T. aestivum plants. Cytoplasms of the other C- and M-genome diploids Ae. umbellulata Zhuk. (2n=14; C^uC^u) and, Ae. heldreichii (2n=14; MM) earlier had been shown to differ from that of Ae. ovata. Therefore, Ae. mutica is the most likely cytoplasm and M-genome donor to Ae. ovata.     

Interspecific hybridisation of soybeans and perennial Glycine species indigenous to Australia via embryo culture

Summary Five sterile hybrids (2n=59) between a synthetic amphiploid of Glycine tomentella (2n=38) and G. caneseens (2n=40) as female and soybean cultivars Lincoln and Hark as males have been produced by embryo or ovule culture using transplanted endosperm. The hybrid plants are twining perennials like the female parent but possess a number of morphological characters which reflect the presence of the soybean genome. Indophenol oxidase isozymes from leaf extracts also provide good evidence of the hybrid nature of the cultured plants. These hybrids open the way for the exploitation of the diverse germplasm resources of the perennial Glycine species in soybean breeding.     

Variation in progenies of an Arachis hypogaea x diploid wild species hybrid

Summary Derivatives of a cross between cultivated peanuts, Arachis hypogaea L. (2n=40), and the wild species collection GKP 10017 (2n=20) were compared morphologically, for leafspot resistance and for yield. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of wild species germplasm on the A. hypogaea genome. The sterile F₁ hybrid which resulted from crossing the two species was treated with colchicine to restore fertility at the 6x ploidy level. The resulting hexaploid was cytologically unstable and progeny lost chromosomes until stability was regained at the 2n=40 chromosome level. Forty-seven characters were used to analyze the variation among plants in the tetraploid interspecific hybrid population. The plants were compared to four cultivated lines plus GKP 10017. Many hybrids were intermediate to the two parents in morphology. Individual traits such as growth habit, pod and seed size, elongation of the constricted area between pods, nodulation and leaflet size were altered by the presence of GKP 10017 germplasm in many of the hybrid plants. Cercospora arachidicola Hori and Cercosporidium personatum (Berk. & Curt.) Deighton resistances were evaluated for all plants. Several hybrids had few lesions due to either leafspot pathogen. In addition, 24 largeseeded interspecific hybrid selections were compared to the cultivated variety NC 5 for yield. Five selections were superior to both parents at p=0.01. Morphology, disease resistance and yields appeared to be greatly influenced by the wild species GKP 10017 germplasm in plants of the interspecific hybrid population. The potentials of using wild species for improvement of the cultivated peanut are discussed.Paper number 5948 of the journal series of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, NC 27650. The investigation was supported in part by ICRISAT and SEA-CR grant no. 701-15-51.     

Disomic alien chromosome substitution and addition in hexaploid oat

Summary True-breeding, leaf rust (Puccinia coronata Cda. f. sp. avenae Fraser and Led.) resistant oat lines with somatic chromosome numbers of 42 and 44, were recovered in the advanced generations of a pentaploid hybrid from the cross between C.I. 7232, a leaf rust resistant and dark lemma colored derived tetraploid and Clarion, a susceptible hexaploid oat. Microsporocyte observations and breeding behaviour of these lines and their F₁ hybrids with susceptible hexaploid oat cultivars indicated that the 42- and 44-chromosome lines are disomic substitutions (20+1A) and disomic additions (21+1A), respectively, of the same alien chromosome which carries genes for dark colored lemma and leaf rust resistance. The substitution and addition lines possess good field resistance to leaf rust. Plants of substitution lines were less vigorous, shorter, with poor straw and reduced fertility. Addition lines had reduced tillering ability, plant vigour, culm thickness, leaf width and fertility and were late maturing. Progeny tests for resistance indicated that substitution lines are more stable than addition lines. It is suggested that these lines may be of value in a program of radiation-induced gene transfer.     

An intersubgeneric hybrid between Glycine tomentella Hayata and the soybean,G. max (L.) Merr.

Summary The objective of the present paper is to provide information on the morphology and cytology of an intersub-generic hybrid (2n=59) between Glycine tomentella Hayata (2n=78) and G. max (L.) Merr. (2n=40) obtained through in vitro immature seed culture. The hybrid plant was slow in vegetative growth and twinning like the female parent but morphologically was intermediate between both parents for several traits. At metaphase I, the average chromosome associations and ranges for 25 cells were 44.0 I (37–51)+7.5 II (3–11). The plant was completely pollen and seed sterile. The present investigation suggests that wild perennial Glycine species can be exploited as either the male or female parent in wide hybridization programs with the soybean, G. max.     

Interspecific hybrids of Cyclamen persicum Mill. and C. purpurascens Mill. produced by ovule culture

Summary Interspecific crosses were made to introduce the scent of flowers of C. purpurascens into C. persicum cultivars and ovule culture was used to rescue the abortive hybrid embryos. Cultivars of C. persicum diploid (CPD, 2n=2×=48) and C. persicum tetraploid (CPT, 2n=4×=96) were the pistillate parents and wild species of C. purpurascens (CP, 2n=34) were staminate parents. After pollination, crossed ovaries were collected periodically and examined using paraffin sections. Histological observations suggested that both hybrid ovules of CPD x CP and CPT x CP should be transferred to culture medium 35 days after pollination. Based up on this observation, crossed ovaries were collected 28 days after pollination and ovules with placenta were transferred to MS (1962) medium containing 3% sucrose. These ovules were cultured in the dark at 25° C. The hybrids (2n=41) derived from CPD x CP had the scent of C. purpurascens, whereas the hybrids (2n=65) derived from CPT x CP had the scent of C. persicum. Although both hybrids had complete genomes from the parents and produced a few viable pollen grains, they failed to yield viable seeds by self- and cross-pollination with fertile pollen grains of C. persicum cultivars.Abbreviations CPD C. persicum diploid - CPT C. persicum tetraploid - CP C. purpurascens     

Cytology and leafspot resistance in Arachis hypogaea x wild species hybrids

Summary Introgression of germplasm from diploid wild Arachis species to A. hypogaea has great potential for improving pest resistance in cultivated peanuts. This investigation evaluated methods for incorporating exotic germplasm into cultivated peanuts, especially for Cercospora arachidicola Hori resistance. Interspecific hybrids between A. hypogaea (cvs. NC 2 and NC 5) and the wild species A. cardenasii Krap. et Greg. nom. nud. and A. chacoense Krap. et Greg. nom. nud. were analyzed cytologically and for leafspot resistance. All F₁ hybrids were sterile, had irregular meiosis, and very few multivalents. They were highly resistant to C. arachidicola in field tests and had a 10-fold reduction of conidia per lesion in the greenhouse as compared to A. hypogaea cultivars. After colchicine treatments of F₁ hybrids, hexaploids (2n=60) and aneuploids (2n=54, 56, 63) were observed. The hexaploids had up to 18 univalents per pollen mother cell and very few multivalents, indicating a low frequency of intergenomic chromosome pairing. For C. arachidicola resistance, significant differences were not found among wild species parents, F₁ hybrids and two generations of hexaploids. Most hexaploids were stable at 2n=60 and embryos aborted when backcrosses with the respective wild species were attempted. However, when hexaploids were backcrossed to A. hypogaea, several fertile pentaploid (2n=50) offspring were obtained. Use of self-pollinating pentaploids is believed to be the quickest method to recover 40-chromosome hybrid derivatives in these hybrids.     

On the inheritance of the dwarf character in Polyantha × Rosa chinensis minima (Sims) Voss F1-populations

Summary The inheritance of the dwarf character was studied in F1-seedling populations arisen from crosses between diploid Polyantha cultivars and the diploid dwarf species R. chinensis minima (Sims) Voss. Dwarfness is controlled by a single dominant gene D. R. chinensis minima and its dwarf descendants are heterozygous for D, while polyanthas are homozygous for d. The origin of R. chinensis minima and its potential for breeding new pot roses are discussed.     

A note on the origin of Kalanchoë x vadensis Boom & Zeilinga (Crassulaceae)

Summary K x vadensis is a hybrid of K. blossfeldiana and K. marmorata obtained after doubling the number of chromosomes.     

Cytological and geographical characterizations of Hemarthria

Summary Chromosme numbers were determined for 56 Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf et C. E. Hubb. introduction, forty of these were diploid (2n=18) and 16 were tetraploid (2n=36). These results, combined with previous findings, show that all but three of the tetraploids in the USDA Hemarthria altissima collection originated north of 20 S latitude. All other introductions collected throughout southern Africa were diploid. Meiosis was regular in a hexaploid, 6 tetraploid and 32 diploid introductions but a low frequency of quadrivalents was found in the teraploids. H. uncinata R. Br. and H. uncinata var. spathacea (Domin) Vickery were found to have 2n=36 chromosomes H. compressa (L.f.) R. Br., introduced from Japan, had 2n=54 chromosomes. No major cytological abnormalities exist in these Hemarthria species. Significant variation exists among the ploidy levels for cold tolerance and in vitro organic matter digestion to provide the basis for a forage improvement program.Joint contribution from the Department of agronomy. Institute of food and Agric. Sciences (IFAS), Univ. of Florida. Gainesville, Fl and, Plant Genetics and Germplasm Institute, USDA, Beltsville, MD Published as IFAS Journal Series No. 2849.     

Reaction of cultivars of populus spp. to radiation induced virulent mutants of melampsora medusae

Summary Infection Type (IT) and Uredinial Number per Leaf Disk (ULD), induced on eleven cultivars of poplar in vitro, were employed to compare five radiation induced, mono-uredinial mutant lines of Melampsora medusae Thum. with the wild type race 5A from which they were derived. IT produced by the mutants was higher than (eight cultivars), similar to (two cultivars) and pronouncedly less than (IT from 4 to 1 in P. deltoides cv. 7–2) that of race 5A. Although the five mutants produced a uniform IT within a particular cultivar. ULD varied significantly between mutants on individual cultivars and there was a significant differential interaction of the mutant lines with cultivars. The ranking of mutant lines for aggressiveness on cultivars was not consistent while the differences among the mutants in mean ULD over all cultivars were not associated with the dosage level of irradiation from which they were isolated. The implications of the results in the interaction of leaf rust with poplar cultivars are discussed.     

Problems in breeding and cytology of sugar cane

In this article a survey is given on sugar cane breeding, as it was performed in Java during a period of about fifty years. When in the eighties of the nineteenth century sugar cane was heavily affected by the sereh disease it was Soltwedel, the first director of the Sugar Experiment Station Midden Java, who tried to obtain sereh resistant cane varieties by species hybridization, until his early death intervened. The first species hybrids were obtained in 1893 by Wakker, who crossed noble sugar cane, Saccharum officinarum, with Kassoer, considered by him as a wild species. In later years it appeared from morphological investigations by Jeswiet (1916) and from cytological investigations by Bremer (1921) that Kassoer is to be considered as a spontaneous hybrid between S. officinarum and S. spontaneum, the wild glagah. In 1895 Kobus imported the Indian sugar cane Chunnee in Java. Chunnee, not belonging to S. officinarum, was crossed with noble sugar cane (for the first time) in 1897. From this cross many clones were obtained which appeared to be resistant against the sereh disease but were highly susceptible to mosaic. The continued crossing between noble sugar cane and Kassoer, however, was very successful. Many clones were obtained, which as commercial varieties, showed a high degree of resistance against sereh disease and mosaic and moreover gave a much higher sugar production than the susceptible varieties of noble sugar cane.The following terms are introduced: first, second and third nobilisation of the wild S. spontaneum. Kassoer cane itself is a product of the first nobilisation, the direct cross between noble sugar cane and wild cane. The back cross between Kassoer and noble sugar cane is called the second nobilisation. When cane varieties belonging to the second nobilisation are crossed again with noble sugar cane, the third nobilisation of S. spontaneum is said to take place. The well-known sugar cane variety 2878 P.O.J. belongs to the third nobilisation.In all clones investigated Saccharum officinarum has 2n=80 chromosomes. Within S. spontaneum types occur which in chromosome number vary from 2n=48 to 2n=128. The Java glagah has 2n=112 chromosomes.Clones of the first glagah nobilisation S. officinarum (n=40) x S. spontaneum (n=56) did not have 2n=40+56 chromosomes, but 2n=40+40+56=136 chromosomes.In relation to the taxonomy of Saccharum many other cytological details are given. Within S. officinarum the basic chromosome number x=10. About S. spontaneum opinions are divided. The author supposes that x=6,8 and 10 are basic numbers of S. spontaneum.     

Crossability and cytological studies in Solanum macrocarpon and Solanum linnaeanum (Solanaceae).

Summary Crossing experiments involving the various groups of Solanum macrocarpon L. complex, including wild (dasyphyllum), semi-wild and cultivars produced fully fertile F1 and F2 hybrids. This confirmed earlier findings that these groups belong to the same biological species. S. macrocarpon complex and S. linnaeanum Hepper ex Jaeger are isolated by reproductive barriers. F1 and F2 hybrids between various groups of S. macrocarpon showed heterosis. F2 superior hybrids were isolated as candidates for the future breeding programmes. Most wild-type traits like prickliness, hairiness were dominant to those possessed by cultivars. Relatively resistant hybrids to pest attack were noted. S. macrocarpon complex and S. linnaeanum are diploids (2n=24). The overall nature of the karyotype suggests that the two are related. The F1 hybrids between the cultivars of S. macrocarpon and the wild group (S. dasyphyllum) showed normal meiosis. A lack of isolating barriers confirmed that S. macrocarpon complex constitute a single biological species.     

Occurrence of 2n and jumbo pollen in the Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia glomerata and P. tuberosa)

An analysis of microsporogenesis was carried out in four populations of Pfaffia tuberosa (2n=4x=68) and in ten populations of P. glomerata(2n=2x=34). Monads, dyads and triads were reported at high frequency in all populations of P. tuberosa. In P. glomerata, on the other hand, only four populations presented monads, and at low frequency. Dyads and triads were observed in both species, albeit at a higher frequency in P. tuberosa populations. Certain abnormalities of spindles in the second division, such as sequential and tripolar spindles, led to triad formation by the rejoining of two chromosome sets. The precise causes of monad and dyad formation have not been found during meiosis, although evidence exists that dyads originated by omission of second meiosis and monads by omission of both meiotic divisions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A biosystematic study of the origin of the cultivated diploid potato,Solanum x Ajanhuiri Juz. et Buk.

Summary The origin and nature of the diploid cultivated potato species S. ajanhuiri Juz. et Buk. was studied. Several lines of evidence indicate that S. ajanhuiri might be derived from natural crosses between primitive cultivars of the diploid species S. stenotomum and the wild species S. megistacrolobum. Morphological comparisons were made between S. stenotomum x S. megistacrolobum F₁ hybrids and naturally occurring S. ajanhuiri to investigate this hypothesis. Comparisons were also made between S. ajanhuiri x S. stenotomum crosses and the F₂ generation of the first-mentioned cross.Crosses between the two major groups of S. ajanhuiri cultivars, Ajawiri and Yari, showed not only genetic breakdown but also a wide range of phenotypic variation similar to those of artificial F₂ families of S. stenotomum x S. megistacrolobum. Furthermore, there was strong evidence showing that the Yari group of S. ajanhuiri could almost certainly be an F₁ S. stenotomum x S. megistacrolobum hybrid, whereas the Ajawiri group could be a backcross of an F₁ hybrid to S. stenotomum. These results added further support to the hypothesis of a hybrid origin of S. ajanhuiri, as well as indicating its putative parents. It is suggested that this hybridogenic taxon be retained at the species level under the name Solanum x ajanhuiri.     

Cytogenetic analyses of sugarcane relatives (Andropogoneae: Saccharinae)

Summary Meiosis was studied in 31 wild Saccharum relatives, including Erianthus (8 clones), Miscanthus (5 clones), Narenga prophyrocoma (1 clone), S. robustum (3 clones), and S. spontaneum (14 clones). Chromosome number for 18 clones confirmed published counts or was typical of the particular species. Chromosome number for seven clones (Djatiroto 2n=58, Molokai 5099 2n=80, SES 84/58 2n=58, SES 114 2n=64, SES 260 2n=64, Taiwan 100 2n=112, and US 57-11-2 2n=60) differed from published counts (2n=112, 86-100, 64, 60, 60, 96, and 30, respectively). Counts were obtained for the first time for six clones (Local escape 2n=96, Nepal 2n=72, NG 77-77 2n=108–112, NG 77-199 2n=166, US 57-60-2 2n=20, and US 68-1-4 2n=38). Bivalent chromosome pairing predominated in all clones. Meiotic irregularity (numeric aberrations, univalents, multivalents, and telophase II micronuclei) tended to be associated with taxonomic grouping and level of polyploidy. Clones in Erianthus, Miscanthus, and Narenga were apparent euploids (2n=20–60) and tended to have fewer meiotic irregularities than Saccharum clones. Differences in level of meiotic stability among taxonomic groups may reflect error in chromosome association and synapsis associated with high chromosome number.     

The nature of the Bolivian weed potato species Solanum sucrense Hawkes

Summary Two theories for the origin of the Bolivian weed potato species Solanum sucrense Hawkes have been tested. The first was that it had an allopolyploid origin as a hybrid of the cultivated tetraploid S. tuberosum ssp. andigena (Juz. et Buk.) Hawkes with the wild/weed tetraploid cytotype of S. oplocense Hawkes. The second hypothesis postulated that it was a cross of the weed diploid species S. sparsipilum (Bitt.) Juz. et Buk. with S. oplocense.Synthetic hybrids of S. tuberosum ssp. andigena x S. oplocense and of S. sparsipilum x S. oplocense have been compared morphologically with S. sucrense accessions. Their crossability has also been investigated.The crossability and morphological studies strongly suggested that the former hypothesis was the more likely. This was borne out by observations made on the 1974 University of Birmingham Expedition when segregating populations of S. sucrense and S. oplocense were collected growing with feral S. tuberosum ssp. andigena.The evidence from this study indicates that the S. tuberosum ssp. andigena x S. oplocense hybrid has formed the basis of the S. sucrense gene pool. It is suggested that this hybridogenic taxon be maintained under the name Solanum x sucrense.The clarification of the taxonomic relationships of these three species will be of interest to Globodera resistance breeders, in view of the fact that these taxa are resistant to various pathotypes of the golden nematode.     

Chromosome studies in the genus Cucumis

Summary Cytological investigations of 50 wild Cucumis introductions revealed the presence of three tetraploid species with 2n=48 chromosomes, and one hexaploid species with 2n=72 chromosomes, while all other species are diploid containing 2ns=14 or 2n=24 chromosomes. Two of the tetraploid species, C. heptadactylus (P.I. 282446), and a species related to C. zeyheri (P.I. 273192, 299570, 299571, and 299572) are natives of South Africa, while C. aculeatus (P.I. 193967, 196844, 273648, 273649, and 273650) is found in Ethiopia. The hexaploid, C. figarei (P.I. 343699, 343700, 343701), is a native of Nigeria. All polyploids are perennial, have efficient vegetative reproduction systems, and may have originated from the spontaneous formation of polysomatic cells.Supported by the Colorado State University Experiment Station and published as Scientific Series Paper No. 2089.     

Cytological studies of 2n male gamete formation in sugarcane, Saccharum L.

The germplasm for modern sugarcane cultivars (Saccharum spp. hybrids)has been derived principally from S. officinarum (2n = 80), and S. spontaneum (2n = 40 to 128). Diploid gamete formation has been significant in developing cultivated sugarcane, but the cytological basis for the processes involved is not clearly understood. This research investigated microsporogenesis in nine clones of Saccharum spp. Hybrids and in S. officinarum and S. spontaneum. Diploid gamete formation occurred in all 11 lines, but was least frequent in S. spontaneum and S. officinarum which produced 0.5% and 0.8%2n gametes, respectively. In the hybrid lines, 2n gametes were formed infrequencies ranging from 0.9% to 4.4%. Cytological evidence was obtained for dyad and triad formation during microsporogenesis. Detailed analysis of chromosome behaviour at meiosis indicated that 2n male gamete formation is probably attributable to the absence of cytokinesis rather than a combination of asynchrony and non-disjunction. The clones were ranked on the basis of the frequencies with which they formed 4 × 1n microspores and the data were analysed using χ ² tests for homogeneity. These established that theSaccharum spp. hybrids could be designated as either ‘high’ or ‘low’ frequency haploid gamete producers. Conversely, the latter group, which formed diploid gametes most frequently (2.2%–4.4%), can be described as high frequency diploid gamete producers. The identification of clones most frequently forming diploid gametes may facilitate the more rapid recovery of desirable sugarcane genotypes because such clones could be selected for preferential use in clonal improvement. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.