THE EFFECT OF TELOMERIC HETEROCHROMATIN FROM SECALE CEREALE ON TRITICALE (× TRITICOSECALE). I. THE INFLUENCE OF THE LOSS OF SEVERAL BLOCKS OF TELOMERIC HETEROCHROMATIN ON EARLY ENDOSPERM DEVELOPMENT AND KERNEL CHARACTERISTICS AT MATURITY

Abstract

The relationships between telomeric heterochromatin on rye (Secale cereale L.) chromosomes, the occurrence of aberrant endosperm nuclei early during endosperm development, and kernel characteristics as seen at maturity were investigated in hexaploid spring triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack). A positive relationship was established between the presence of telomeric heterochromatin on the short arms of rye chromosomes 4R/7R and 6R, and the production of aberrant endosperm nuclei. The removal of telomeric heterochromatin blocks from either 4R/7R or 6R significantly reduced the occurrence of nuclear instability in endosperm, and the effect of losing more than one block of telomeric heterochromatin was additive. A strong relationship was also noted between the absence of telomeric heterochromatin blocks on the short arms of rye chromosomes 4R/7R and 6R, and both higher thousand kernel weight and test weight at maturity. This relationship was also additive depending on whether one or two blocks of telomeric heterochromatin were missing. The absence of telomeric heterochromatin blocks on 4R/7R and 6R was significantly related with increased yield. The results show that amount of telomeric heterochromatin on some rye chromosomes is closely related to the occurrence of aberrant endosperm nuclei early during endosperm development and kernel characteristics at maturity.