Cytogenetic affinities between populations of Avena insularis Ladizinsky from Sicily and Tunisia

The wild tetraploid oat Avena insularis, which was recently discovered in Sicily has now been detected in two regions in Tunisia. It grows there in a similar habitat as in Sicily and is confined to uncultivated patches. Hybrids between Tunisian populations from Temime and Bargou were partly sterile due to a chromosomal rearrangement and probably other genetic factors. Hybrids between representatives of these populations and Sicilian populations from Gela and Mt. Bubonia were also partial sterile. This sterility suggests that the Sicilian populations of A. insularis have not originated directly from the Tunisian populations.