HYBRIDIZATION OF TRITICUM AND AGROPYRON: VI. INDUCED FERTILITY IN VERNAL EMMER × A. GLAUCU

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Abstract
Colchicine treatments of the seed of a sterile F1 hybrid of Vernal emmer × A. glaucum (2n = 35) induced fertility through chromosome doubling. The F2 plants were exceptionally vigorous, with abundant leafy foliage, and spikes producing an average of 48 seeds each, of which 83% were viable. These amphidiploid plants appear to be perennial, but so far have not been tested for winter hardiness.The establishment of amphidiploid sectors of sufficient size to make possible the production of seed depended on the successful competition of the amphidiploid with the undoubled tissue. Different hybrids varied greatly in this respect. A relation existed between growth vigour of amphidiploid sectors, or plants, and increase in stomatal size on chromosome doubling.Eight of eleven F2 plants possessed 70 chromosomes and the remaining three, 64, 68, and 69. Meiotic studies on five of these plants revealed the formation of 27 to 31 bivalents, 6 to 9 univalents, and occasional trivalents and quadrivalents. Anthers of the amphidiploids dehisced abundant pollen, 94% of which was good, whereas anthers of the undoubled F1 were unable to dehisce and contained only 2% good pollen.

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