CYTOGENETICS OF SOME NATURAL INTERGENERIC HYBRIDS BETWEEN ELYMUS AND AGROPYRON SPECIES

Abstract
The occurrence of natural interspecific hybrids between Elymus and Agropyron spp. was detected and verified by cytomorphological studies. The hybrids were highly vigorous and resembled Elymus spp. in vegetative growth habit, although their spikes were sterile and intermediate between the putative parents in morphology. Chromosome pairing in the hybrids was highly irregular with 14-28 univalents/cell. The formation of up to 7 bivalents, with mean frequencies of 2.86-3.14/cell in different hybrids, was attributed to homeologous relationships existing between the genomes of E. innovatus (JJXX) and those of Agropyron spp. (SSHH).