Cytogenetics of a tetraploid form of Phleum pratense L.

A tetraploid form of Phleum pratense from southwestern Europe was found to behave cytogenetically as an autotetraploid. Inheritance patterns in inbred seedlings artificially inoculated with stem rust agreed with this interpretation if chromosome and chromatid assortment are assumed.Results of cooperative investigations of the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.Geneticist, Crops Research Division, A.R.S., U.S. Department of Agriculture, and former Graduate Assistant, Agronomy Department, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Madison, Wisconsin.     

Cytology of Phleum sp. affin. P. montanum C. Koch

Diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid plants occurred in foreign plant introductions of P. sp. affin. P. montanum from Turkey and Iran. Within-progeny variations in polyploid levels indicate that divergent races occurred as interspersed but natural populations. One to six B-chromosomes of varying sizes in addition to the normal chromosome complement were present in some plants. Their behaviours appeared essentially similar to those recorded for other species. Certain of the plants examined exhibited cytological features similar to those observed in known hybrids. These included prophase pycnosis, stickiness, split metaphase I plates, unoriented chromosomes at M-1, and low levels of pollen stainability. These features were absent in microsporocytes of other plants. Low open-pollination seed set characterized all plants examined. This may be due to hybridity or possibly to response to ecological conditions of the new environment.Results of co-operative work of the Crops Research Division, A.R.S., U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Madison, Wisconsin.Former Graduate Student, Department of Agronomy, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, and Geneticist, Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.     

Cytology of tetraploid x hexaploid timothy (Phleum pratense L.)

Ten pentaploids were isolated from seedling populations developed from seed of tetraploid plants grown in association with hexaploid timothy. About 80% of the prophase sporocytes exhibited severe or moderate pycnosis. These pycnotic accumulations appear to arrest the meiotic processes and apparently result in sporocyte lethality. Surviving sporocytes at diakinesis possessed nuclei with configurations that varied from 1 VI+14 II+1 I to 9 II+17 I. It is suggested that the conventional sorts of irregularities (univalents, inversions and translocations) cannot account for the low percentages of stainable pollen. Pairing relations indicated that considerable duplication and/or autosyndesis occurred in the genomes combined, and suggest that even though the tetraploid (2n=28) and hexaploid (2n=42) forms of Phleum pratense are closely related they are not identical. A portion of the sterility observed may be due to nuclear-cytoplasmic interaction.Results of co-operative work of the Crops Research Division, A.R.S., U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Madison, Wis.Geneticist, Crops Research Division, A.R.S., U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Graduate Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Evidence for possible selective survival and function of gametes on progeny characteristics of Bromus inermis Leyss

Summary Approximately 85% of the S₁, S₂ and S₃ plants in 142 smooth bromegrass progenies were morphologically similar within lines. Progenies developed from diallel crosses possessed greater uniformity than was expected from hybridization of S₁ octaploid smooth bromegrass. Behaviors observed are interpreted on the basis of selective survival and functioning of gametes and can be explained by the fusion of like gametes.Results of cooperation between the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, and the Research Division, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706.Geneticist (deceased).     

Chlorophyll inheritance patterns and extent of natural self-pollination in timothy

Three hundred sixty-five S₁ and 234 S₂ seedling populations of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) were examined for their segregations for chlorophyll deficiencies. Arrays of both self-and open-pollination families indicated a lack of concentration at definite levels, with ratios expressed forming a continuous series from 4.6:1 to 572:1 for green: chlorophyll-deficient types in the S₁ generation. The S₂ populations examined ranged from 1.8:1 to 244:1. Arrays were very similar in their distributions.Sixty-three plants yielded chlorophyll-deficient types in both S₁ and S₀ populations. From these, it was calculated that 7 to 8 percent of natural self-pollination may occur in timothy.Except at two levels (28:1 and 143:1 tetradisomic) assumption of tetradisomic or simpler inheritance patterns resulted in lower calculated percentages of natural self-pollination than resulted from assumed hexasomic inheritance. No apparent explanation is available to account for these divergences from the regular pattern encountered.Results of cooperative work of the Crops Research Division, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Madison.Research Agronomist, Crops Research Division, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Associate Professor, and Professor of Agronomy, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, respectively.     

Intraplant instability in smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis leyss)

Intraplant variation in smooth bromegrass was examined by determining pollen stainability and size in 6 moderately self-compatible S-2, and 12 self-incompatible OP-3 plants. Statistically significant differences in pollen stainability occurred between panicles within plants, between plants, and between plants x within plant interactions. Pollen diameter distributions for OP-3 plants tended to be trimodal, and bimodal distributions occurred in S-2 plants. In trimodal distributions, peaks occurred at known diploid and tetraploid chromosome levels, and it is presumed that the peak between these represented the triploid gametic number.Results of cooperative investigations of the Crops Research Division, ARS, USDA, and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Madison. The statistical analyses were made by the Numerical Analysis Laboratory, University of Wisconsin.     

Haploid induction in potato: Cytological basis for the pollinator effect

Summary A hexaploid endosperm is regularly associated with a haploid embryo following 4x–2x crosses in potato. One explanation for this is that a single 24-chromosome restitution sperm nucleus fuses with the central cell of the megagametophyte. This suggests that a superior pollinator may be one that produces a high frequency of restitution sperm nuclei. To test this, a technique was developed for observing pollen tube mitosis in vitro following germination of potato pollen in a 20% lactose-50 ppm boric acid solution. A single 24-chromosome restitution sperm nucleus was found in up to 38% of the pollen tubes from a superior pollinator. Moreover, pollen from an inferior pollinator soaked in a sucrose-boric acid-colchicine solution produced 100% restitution sperm nuclei in vitro and a haploid frequency from a tetraploid cultivar comparable to that normally induced by an untreated superior pollinator. The data indicate that the effectiveness of a pollinator in inducing haploids in potato is determined by the frequency of restitution sperm nuclei it produces.Cooperative investigations of the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station. Part of a thesis submitted by the senior author in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Ph. D. degree. Published with the approval of the Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.Research Assistant, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, and Research Geneticist, Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Madison, Wisconsin 53706.     

Production of intraspecific aneuploids in the genus Solanum. III. Intraspecific aneuploids

Summary The triploids recovered from 4x×2x crosses in three Solanum species were very vigorous and although few seeds/fruit were obtained when the triploids were crossed to diploids, the extensive crossing programme produced sufficient seed of four species cph, chc, pnt and tar. The average seed set for the 3x-2x crosses was an extremely low 3.5 seeds/fruit.Approximately 90% of the progeny of the 3x–2x crosses were aneuploids with chromosome numbers of 2n=25–29. The frequency of the aneuploids in the three species that were studied was chc 93%, pnt 94% and tar 92%. The aneuploids of chc and tar were extremely vigorous and fertile and they were used as females in crosses to the marker stocks. The aneuploids of pnt were vigorous, but the crossability barrier of pnt prevented their use in crosses to the marker stocks. A number of the aneuploids produced seed upon being selfed, but the ability to produce self seed may be related to the pseudo-compatibility of the parental clones. In only 7 aneuploids was there an indication that the self fertility was due to overcoming the self-incompatibility barrier as a result of competition-interaction of the aneuploid gamete.Plants in the families from the triploid-diploid crosses had a tremendous amount of variation in morphological characteristics (leaf shape, size and color; berry shape, color and degree or verrucose spotting: and plant habit and vigor). A large portion of variation exhibited in these families was due to the normal genetic segregation of the heterozygous parents. It was impossible to distinguish the aneuploids from their diploid sibs especially those having only one or two additional chromosomes because they were as vigorous and fertile as the diploids.There were some preliminary indications of the existence of distinct morphological characteristics among the aneuploids (separate petals, long berries, and extreme verrucose berries). However, there was no indication that these traits were due to the dosage effect of the extra chromosome. If it should be determined that this was true, it would be extremely useful in associating genes with chromosomes and determining the phenotypic effects due to the presence of an additional chromosome.Cooperative investigations of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Winconsin and the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Madison, Wisconsin. Supported in part by grants from the Research Committee of the Graduate School, University of Wisconsin.First and third author respectively, formally Graduate Research Assistant Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Geneticist Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Present address: Department of Genetics. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 and Head Breeding and Genetics Department, International Potato Center, Lima, Peru.     

Genetic stability of quantitative characters in successive generations in maize inbred lines

Summary Genetic stability was evaluated in 11 long-time inbred lines of maize (Zea mays L.) by measuring 10 plant, ear, and seed characters in successive generations reproduced by self-pollination in ear-to-row progenies. The lines were reproduced through 10 generations, and the studies were made for generations 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. All lines had been inbred more than 10 generations before the start of the study. For 106 F-tests among generations, significant variation was observed for 40 tests (P<0.05). Major changes were observed in two inbred lines; in most other cases, the statistically significant changes were too small to be of practical importance.Joint contribution: Plant Science Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Journal Paper No J-7245 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No 1897.     

Quantity production of anther-derived haploids from a multiple disease resistant tobacco hybrid. I. Frequency of plants with resistance or susceptibility to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), potato virus Y (PVY), and root knot (RK)

Summary Methods are described for producing large numbers of haploid plantlets from anthers of a flue-cured tobacco hybrid with monogenic resistance to tobacco mosaic virus, (TMV), potato virus Y (PVY) and root knot (RK), respectively. Additional details are given on colchicine treatment for converting haploids to doubled haploids (DH's) and on the frequency of spontaneous DH's among untreated plantlets. Disparate genetic ratios of TMV-resistant to TMV-susceptible plants were obtained among colchicine-treated haploid plantlets, induced DH's and untreated haploids when compared with F₂ and BC₁ progenies. Haploids (gametes) with the gene for TMV resistance occurred more frequently than expected and plantlets with the gene for RK resistance occurred less frequenctly than expected. Transmission of the gene for PVY resistance differed only slightly from Mendelian expectations. These unexpected ratios, in addition to the frequent occurrence of plastid chimeras among anther-derived plantlets, strengthened our conviction that haploidy is somehow associated with mutation.Joint contribution from the Departments of Genetics, Crop Science and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, and the Tobacco Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research, Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oxford, North Carolina. Paper No. 5576 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh, North Carolina.     

The utility of hill plots in oat research

From 1955 through 1963, approximately 300,000 hill plots have been used in various experiments in the Iowa small grain research program. When grain yield, plant height, and heading date were measured on the same varieties, the genetic correlations between rod rows and hills were 0.98, 0.96 and 0.96, respectively.The coefficients of variation for plant height, weight per volume, spikelets per panicle, panicles per plant, weight per 100 seeds were similar for rod rows and hills. However, the coefficients of variability for grain yield ranged from 2 to 5 times larger for hills than for rod rows. Competition between varieties in adjacent hills had little effect on the performance of varieties.The best method for planting hill plots is the conventional method opening a hole in the soil about 2 inches deep with a hoe, pouring the seed in the hole, and covering it with soil. Rates of planting influenced the expression of grain yield, panicles per plant, and spikelets per panicle, but not weight per 100 seeds and plant height. Approximately 30 seeds per hill appeared the most desirable planting rate.Journal Paper No. J-5064 of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1176. Received for publication Febr. 23, 1965. In cooperation with the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture.Professor of farm crops.     

Production of intraspecific aneuploids in the genus Solanum. 1. Doubling the chromosome number of seven diploid species

Summary The variation which persisted in interspecific aneuploids even after one or two generations of backcrossing prevented the morphological distinction of the aneuploids from their diploid sibs. An attempt was made to unmask the effects of aneuploidy by producing aneuploids within the more uniform genetic background of a single species.The procedure to produce trisomics and aneuploids of diploid species was to vegetatively double clones or seed of the species with colchicine, cross the induced tetraploids to diploids to produce triploids, and then cross the triploids to the original diploids. An attempt was made to use the same diploid clone and/or introduction of a species in all successive stages of the procedure in order to obtain as much uniformity as possible. This was largely unsuccessful because self-incompatibility and inbreeding reduced seed set. Seventy-three different tetraploids were obtained from seven species. Tuber treatments were noticeably unsuccessful in producing doubled plants. The two vegetative treatments were most successful and produced 41 different tetraploid clones while 30 doubled plants were obtained from four seed treatments.Morphologically the tetraploids resembled the diploid and there was no noticeable increase in size of leaflets and floral parts in the tetraploid. The average number of chloroplasts in ten pairs of guard cells was a distinctive feature which could efficiently be used in distinguishing the induced tetraploid plants from diploids. The tetraploids were generally less fertile than their diploid counterparts and the majority of them exhibited self-compatibility in comparison to self incompatibility of the diploids.Cooperative investigations of the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station. Supported in part by grants from the Research Committee of the Graduate School, University of Wisconsin.     

甘蓝型油菜与播娘蒿原生质体融合杂种后代的遗传研究

甘蓝型油菜(2n=38)与播娘蒿(2n=28)原生质体融合杂种F₁连续自交3代,获得F₂、F₃和F₄后代。用细胞学和SSR分子标记方法,分析杂种后代的染色体数目变异、减数分裂行为以及播娘蒿遗传成分的保留情况。结果表明在F₂、F₃和F₄代中,根尖细胞染色体平均数分别为38.47±3.17、37.65±3.23和36.66±2.95,随着自交世代增加呈减少趋势;在杂种后代减数分裂中,观察到染色体桥、染色体落后、染色体周期不同步、不均等分离等现象;杂种后代F₂、F₃和F₄代中检测到播娘蒿特征条带的平均频率分别为9.62%、2.99%和0.31%,呈减少趋势。因此要实现播娘蒿种质向油菜渗入应该重视F₂世代的选择。     

rDNA和端粒重复序列鉴定马铃薯和茄子体细胞杂种染色体丢失和融合

植物体细胞杂交是植物种质资源创制的重要方法。体细胞杂种在原生质体再生的过程中染色体会产生非常多的遗传变异。研究体细胞杂种的染色体行为为马铃薯体细胞杂种的创制和利用提供理论基础。本研究采用rDNA和端粒重复序列作为探针进行原位杂交(fluorescence in situ hybridization),并结合基因组原位杂交(genomic in situ hybridization),对马铃薯和茄子体细胞杂种染色体组成和变异进行了分析。原位杂交结果表明,体细胞杂种中存在马铃薯和茄子融合的染色体和双着丝粒染色体,并发现部分融合染色体是由马铃薯和茄子2号染色体末端对末端融合得到的。重排的双着丝粒染色体的着丝粒一个来源于马铃薯,一个来源于茄子。此外,体细胞杂种中来源于茄子的5S rDNA在体细胞杂种再生及稳定的过程中全部丢失。研究结果表明马铃薯与茄子在进行体细胞杂交的过程中,染色体是不稳定的,容易造成融合后代出现双着丝粒和染色体重排等现象。体细胞杂种的染色体会通过染色体重排、双着丝粒、rDNA均一化等多种形式使其染色体趋于稳定。     

Fertile somatic hybrids of Solanum etuberosum (+) dihaploid Solanum tuberosum and their backcrossing progenies: relationships of genome dosage with tuber development and resistance to potato virus Y

The wild non-tuberous species Solanumetuberosum is resistant to biotic andabiotic stresses, but is very difficult tocross with cultivated potato. Therefore,interspecific somatic hybrids between adihaploid clone of potato S.tuberosum (2n=2x=24, AA genome) and thediploid species S. etuberosum(2n=2x=24, EE genome) were produced byprotoplast fusion. Among the 7 fertilefusion hybrids analysed by genomic insitu hybridisation (GISH), three groups ofplants were found with the genomicconstitution of AAEE, AAEEEE and AAAAEE.Four fusion hybrids had exactly theexpected chromosome composition, while eachof the three aneuploid hybrids had lost twochromosomes of S. etuberosum. Twobackcross progenies were developed, andGISH analysis was applied to analysetransmission of the parental chromosomesinto the sexual generations. BC₁hybrids derived from the crosses of thehexaploid somatic hybrids with tetraploidpotato were pentaploid with thetheoretically expected genomic compositionor with slight deviation from thisexpectation. In the three BC₂ hybridsanalysed by GISH seven to 12 chromosomes ofS. etuberosum were detected in thepredominant S. tuberosum background.No recombinant chromosomes in the hybridswere detected. Genome dosage affects tuberformation in hybrids and their progenies,but has less effect on resistance to potatovirus Y (PVY) in fusion hybrids. Severalgenotypes of the fusion hybrids andBC₁ progeny did not show viralinfection even in the graftingexperiments.     

Compatibility of evolutionary and mutation breeding methods

X-ray induced barley mutants and their prototype Hannchen were tested for their behaviour in evolutionary breeding (the term is used to indicate the application of population genetics to plant breeding). It was shown that only the better mutants survive. Eventually only the fittest mutants and recombinants will comprise the population.Contribution from the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Agronomy Departments of the University of California and of Arizona, co-operating. The mutants were selected from a culture grown for R. S. Caldecott at Brawley California in 1955.Research Agronomist and Geneticist, Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Field Station, Supt., University of California, respectively at Davis, California, Tucson, Arizona, and Tulelake, California.     

Segregation of isozymes in selfed progenies of a synthetic amphidiploid between Solanum integrifolium and S. melongena

Isozyme and cytogenetic analyses were performed on selfed progenies of a synthetic amphidiploid between scarlet eggplant, Solanum integrifolium (= S. aethiopicum),and eggplant, Solanum melongena `DMP', for estimating genetic uniformity. Isozymes in the 379 examined seedlings segregated into five genotypes (phenotypes) each at the four loci examined, Pgd-2 of phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (E.C.1.1.1.43), Idh-2 of isocitrate dehydrogenase (E.C.1.1.1.41), Pgm-2 of phosphoglucomutase (E.C.2.7.5.1)and Skdh-1 of shikimate dehydrogenase (E.C.1.1.1.25), indicating that the selfed seedlings were not genetically uniform. Most of the examined 15 selfed seedlings exhibited a somatic chromosome number of 48, that is the same number of the synthetic amphidiploid, whereas isozyme genotypes among them were variable. It is suggested that the segregation of isozymes was not caused by variation of chromosome number but by genetic segregation of isozyme genes. The genome of the synthetic amphidiploid was indicated to be unstable. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inheritance of male sterility mutations induced in haploid sorghum tissue culture

Summary A high frequency of male sterile mutants regeneration was shown in callus cultures derived from leaves and panicles of haploid sorghum (Ms_c1, A1 cytoplasm) and a spontaneous autodiploid obtained from this haploid. The cultures derived from the embryos of this autodiploid yielded significantly fewer mutants. Absolutely or partially male sterile mutants appeared among the regenerants or in the progeny of fertile regenerants. In the self-fertilized progenies of partially male sterile mutants and in the hybrids of sterile mutants with autodiploid line (i.e. under one and the same nuclear genome) male sterility mutations were inherited as cytoplasmic. Non-Mendelian segregation of sterile, partially male sterile and fertile plants was observed in these progenies. Partially male sterile plants were characterized by somatic segregation of male sterility genetic factors. In test-crosses with some CMS A1 fertility restorers, mutations were manifested as nuclear recessive while with others as nuclear dominant. These differences are supposed to be the result of interaction of fertility restorer genes of these testers with the novel cytoplasm. Male sterility mutations accompanied with female sterility were inherited as nuclear recessives.Abbreviations f fertile - ps partially male sterile - s male sterile plants     

Combining ability in crosses within and between diverse groups of alfalfa introductions

Summary 144 alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) introductions were classified into eight groups based on their origin, winterhardiness, leafhopper yellowing, and growth characteristics. We studied the performance of crosses within and between these groups. General (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for persistence among the eight groups were about equal. The Chilean group had a high positive GCA for persistence, suggesting that it may be become a good source of germplasm for persistance and, perhaps, disease resistance.SCA for forage yield was about three times greater than GCA, indicating a large amount of non-additive gene action for yield in crosses between groups. In general, crosses between groups yielded more than crosses within groups. The Afghan group showed high GCA with all groups, suggesting that Afghan introductions may contribute to improved synthetic varieties. The Flemish introductions performed well in crosses within their group and also in crosses between groups.GCA for rapid recovery after cutting was six times greater than SCA, indicating largely additive gene action for this trait. Nonhardy and Afghan-like introductions contributed most to rapid recovery in hybrid combinations.GCA for fall growth was slightly larger than SCA. The nonhardy introductions showed a large positive GCA, along with a significant SCA for fall growth.The evidence of specific combining ability, particularly for forage yield, suggested that hybridization may be needed for adequate evaluation of alfalfa introductions. An introduction grown in a new environment often will perform poorly, but its hybrid progeny from crosses to other introduced or adapted strains may show superiority.Paper number 3992 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh, N. C. in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.Research Geneticist, Southern Region, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and Professor of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C. 27607.     

Variation in seed and seedling charactes of smooth bromegrass,Bromus inermisLeyss,in relation to environment

Summary Soil type, seedling depth, soil moisture, nitrogen and seed lot all affected seedling stand and early vigor. The first two aspects caused significant variations only when other factors were limiting.Individual plant progenies were found to differ in rate of emergence and maximum stand, vigor and height.Seed weight was an important factor among individual plant progenies, with heavy seed being superior. Individual plant progenies similar in seed weight differed in each of the factors fo establishment, indicating that not all of the differences observed among progenies could be ascribed to seed weight. Age and condition of seed, diseases and soil temperature were found to affect stand and vigor.Fifteen selected plant progenies and an experimental synthetic were superior in germination and seedling vigor to the rour commercial varieties tested as checks.Contribution from the Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin. Supported in part by the Research Committee of the Graduate School. Published wit the approval of the Director of The Wisonsin agric. Exp. Stn., Madison, Wis., USA.