The segregation ratio inwaxy-heterozygous barley plants

Abstract

SummaryIn seven experiments the segregation ratio in barley plants heterozygous for thewaxy-gene was studied. Each experiment entailed the scoring of more than 40000 iodine-stained pollen grains from ten spikes. A significant over-representation of blue pollen grains was found in all experiments, with the segregation distortion (measured as a conversion force) ranging from 0·0063 to 0·0143. The distortion was unaffected by which of two mutations was used and which genetic background the plants had, but was stronger in 1988 than in 1987. Different statistical, methodological and biological explanations of the results are discussed.