The Diploidised Meiosis of Tetraploid Beta macrocarpa and its Possible Application in Breeding Sugar Beet

Accessions of Beta macrocarpa Guss., collected on the Canary Islands, were tetraploid (2n = 36). Three of these accessions were studied in detail. The plants were rather uniform in their morphological appearance, both within and between accessions, and were annual and fully self-compatible. Meiosis was completely diploidised, suggesting an alloploid nature of the tetraploid species. Crosses with diploid B. vulgaris yielded triploid hybrids which were sterile or nearly so; a few descendants of such hybrids were highly aneuploid. Crosses between tetraploid B. macrocarpa and autotetraploid cytotypes of B. vulgaris showed variable results, only part of these crosses yielded tetraploid hybrids. The tetraploid hybrids exhibited somewhat higher fertility than the triploids. An F₂ generation showed partial hybrid dwarfness, partial fertility and segregation for carliness and coloration of the hypocotyl. All hybrids had multivalents at meiosis (averages: 2.5—5.4 multivalents per pollen mother cell), indicating suppression of the diploidised meiosis. The possibilities of application of the diploidised meiosis in breeding sugar beet are discussed.