Assessment of chromosome associations in haploids and their parental accessions in Hordeum

Abstract

Meiotic pairing was studied in the following species and their haploid derivatives: Hordeum cordobense 2x, H. marinum 2x and 4x, H. secalinum 4x, H. capense 4x, H. jubatum 4x, H. brachyantherum 4x and 6x, H. lechleri 6x, and H. procerum 6x. The study revealed (i) homologous pairing in diploid species and very little nonhomologous associations in their mono-haploids; (ii) the alloploid nature of the polyploid taxa; (iii) a certain degree of homoeologous pairing in polyhaploids despite the diploid-like meiotic behaviour of the polyploids; (iv) genetic variation in the suppression of homoeologous chromosome pairing in different Hordeum species.Key words: Hordeum, meiotic pairing, haploids.