The chromosomal location of a gene (msg) affecting megasporogenesis in durum wheat

Abstract
An aneuploid durum wheat line (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) having 13 chromosome pairs and 2 unpaired chromosomes at metaphase I of meiosis in pollen mother cells (i.e., monosomic for chromosomes 7A and 7D) was observed to produce some progeny plants with 2n = 40 chromosomes. These aneuploid (triploid) plants were usually weak and sterile. Triploid plants also occurred in the progeny of durum plants monosomic for chromosome 7A, or in progeny of plants that were mono-telodisomic or ditelomonotelosomic for chromosome 7Aq (13 II + 1 t II or 13 II + t II + t I) but not in the progeny of plants ditelomonotelosomic for chromosome 7Ap (13 II + t II + t 1). Therefore, there is a gene(s) on chromosome arm 7Ap that prevents the production of diploid (2n) egg cells in wheat. In the absence of 7Ap, a portion of the egg cells have 26 chromosomes, which when fertilized with a pollen nucleus with 14 chromosomes, produces progeny plants with 2n = 40 chromosomes. The data also indicated that chromosome arm 7Dp probably contains a second gene that is capable of preventing the production of triploid plants. Key words: Triticum turgidum L. var. durum, polyploidy, aneuploid, triploid, monosomic.