LEAF ESTERASE ISOZYMES IN AVENA AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE GENOMES

Abstract

Leaf esterase patterns of natural populations of diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid Avena species were separated by disc electrophoresis. The zymotypes of the A genome diploids A. hirtula, A. strigosa and A. longiglumis differed from the C genome diploids A. pilosa and A. ventricosa. The tetraploids A. barbata, A. magna and A. murphyi had distinctive zymotypes. The A. barbata zymotype resembled the A genome diploids which supports the cytological evidence for homoeology between the genomes. Avena magna and A. murphyi were a combination of the A and C diploid patterns with A. murphyi resembling the C more than the A pattern. The zymotypes of the hexaploids A. sterilis and A. sativa revealed the expected A, C and AC genome ancestry. Band affinity ratings within and between genomic groups agreed with the cytological evidence and cross-compatible relationships, the exception being the C — AC species that have high affinity ratings but are apparently cross-incompatible.