CHROMOSOMAL INSTABILITY IN A HYBRID BETWEEN HORDEUM VULGARE AND SECALE VAVILOVII

Abstract

A hybrid was obtained between Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Betzes (2n = 2x = 14) and Secale vavilovii [Nürn. (2n = 2x = 14)] in which chromosome instability was observed in somatic and meiotic tissues. In somatic tissue the chromosomes per cell varied from 7 to 24 with a mean of 19.7. Similarly in meiotic tissue the chromosome number varied from 14 to 26 with a mean of 18.3. The mean chiasma frequency was 12.9 consisting of an average Ml configuration of 0.02IV + 0.3III + 6.68II + 3.92I. It was concluded that the hybrid was derived from the union of an unreduced gamete from Betzes barley with a normal gamete from S. vavilovii.