The effects of B-chromosomes on vigour and fertility in Dactylis hybrids

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Abstract
B-chromosomes ranging in number from one to 12 had a deleterious effect on the vigour and fertility of a population of tetraploid hybrids between : (Natural 4×) Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata and (Induced 4×) Dactylis glomerata ssp. lusitanica. Similar trends in vigour and seed set were shown by the original diploid D. glomerata ssp. lusitanica lines, but pollen fertility appeared to be enhanced by low numbers of B-chromosomes. With increasing B-chromosome number induced tetraploid D. glomerata ssp. lusitanica showed a reduction in the total seed set within each cross.