Diversity and evolution of the Hordeum murinum polyploid complex in Algeria

Population diversity and evolutionary relationships in the Hordeum murinum L. polyploid complex were explored in contrasted bioclimatic conditions from Algeria. A multidisciplinary approach based on morphological, cytogenetic, and molecular data was conducted on a large population sampling. Distribution of diploids (subsp. glaucum) and tetraploids (subsp. leporinum) revealed a strong correlation with a North-South aridity gradient. Most cytotypes exhibit regular meiosis with variable irregularities in some tetraploid populations. Morphological analyses indicate no differentiation among taxa but high variability correlated with bioclimatic parameters. Two and three different nuclear sequences (gene coding for an unspliced genomic protein kinase domain) were isolated in tetraploid and hexaploid cytotypes, respectively, among which one was identical with that found in the diploid subsp. glaucum. The tetraploids (subsp. leporinum and subsp. murinum) do not exhibit additivity for 5S and 45S rDNA loci comparative with the number observed in the related diploid (subsp. glaucum). The subgenomes in the tetraploid taxa could not be differentiated using genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Results support an allotetraploid origin for subsp. leporinum and subsp. murinum that derives from the diploid subsp. glaucum and another unidentified diploid parent. The hexaploid (subsp. leporinum) has an allohexaploid origin involving the two genomes present in the allotetraploids and another unidentified third diploid progenitor.     

Genome discrimination by in situ hybridization in Icelandic species of Elymus and Elytrigia (Poaceae: Triticeae).

The genome constitution of Icelandic Elymus caninus, E. alaskanus, and Elytrigia repens was examined by fluorescence in situ hybridization using genomic DNA and selected cloned sequences as probes. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) of Hordeum brachyantherum ssp. californicum (diploid, H genome) probe confirmed the presence of an H genome in the two tetraploid Elymus species and identified its presence in the hexaploid Elytrigia repens. The H chromosomes were painted uniformly except for some chromosomes of Elytrigia repens which showed extended unlabelled pericentromeric and subterminal regions. A mixture of genomic DNA from H. marinum ssp. marinum (diploid, Xa genome) and H. murinum ssp. leporinum (tetraploid, Xu genome) did not hybridize to chromosomes of the Elymus species or Elytrigia repens, confirming that these genomes were different from the H genome. The St genomic probe from Pseudoroegneria spicata (diploid) did not discriminate between the genomes of the Elymus species, whereas it produced dispersed and spotty hybridization signals most likely on the two St genomes of Elytrigia repens. Chromosomes of the two genera Elymus and Elytrigia showed different patterns of hybridization with clones pTa71 and pAes41, while clones pTa1 and pSc119.2 hybridized only to Elytrigia chromosomes. Based on FISH with these genomic and cloned probes, the two Elymus species are genomically similar, but they are evidently different from Elytrigia repens. Therefore the genomes of Icelandic Elymus caninus and E. alaskanus remain as StH, whereas the genomes of Elytrigia repens are proposed as XXH.     

Chromosome number and nuclear DNA content of plants regenerated from salt adapted plant cells

Plants regenerated from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin 38) cells that were adapted to 428 mM NaCl were found to have hexaploid or near-hexaploid chromosome numbers compared to the normal tetraploid, 2N(2C)=4X=48 chromosome numbers of plants regenerated from unadapted cells. Even though cells with chromosome numbers other than hexaploid were found in the cell population only hexaploid plants were regenerated. The hexaploid condition may impart some karyotypic stability that allows more efficient morphogenic activity. The hexaploid condition could not be correlated with several phenotypic alterations associated with plants regenerated from adapted cells, including male sterility and increased salt tolerance.     

Studies in the Hordeum murinum aggregate 1. Morphology

Morphological data has been assembled from a large collection of fruiting heads of the Hordeum murinum aggregate. Computer analysis reveals two major taxa, which, using seven characters, can be readily separated. These are recognized as H. murinum L. and H. leporinum Link. The former is primarily north-western and the latter south-eastern in distribution. Both plants can occur sympatrically, and there is no evidence of a cline.
Diploid plants from south-east Europe represent extreme H. leporinum types and these are recognized as a subspecies (H. leporinum Link ssp. glaucum (Steudel) Booth & Richards) stat. et comb. nov. Hexaploid plants of H. leporinum cannot be morphologically differentiated.     

Hordein polymorphism in diploid and tetraploid Mediterranean populations of the Hordeum murinum L. complex

Polymorphism analyses of the hordeins, main storage proteins in barley, were conducted on 35 natural populations of Hordeum murinum s.l. from North Africa; this specific complex includes three subspecies with two ploidy levels: H. murinum subsp. glaucum (2n=2x=14), H. murinum subsp. leporinum and subsp. murinum (2n=4x=28). Twenty of these populations belong to the diploid subsp. glaucum, 14 other tetraploid populations belong to the subsp. leporinum. In addition, six populations of the tetraploid murinum were sampled in France: two along the Mediterranean coast and four in Brittany. The polymorphism observed in the electrophoretic patterns highlights strong correlations between bioclimatic features and di- and tetraploid taxa distribution. Moreover, the variation was not randomly distributed within the different ploidy levels, and is correlated with environmental factors. The ecological differentiation of the two main taxa, H. murinum subsp. leporinum and subsp. glaucum is clearly highlighted.     

Phytosiderophore release in Aegilops tauschii and Triticum species under zinc and iron deficiencies.

Using three diploid (Triticum monococcum, AA), three tetraploid (Triticum turgidum, BBAA), two hexaploid (Triticum aestivum and Triticum compactum, BBAADD) wheats and two Aegilops tauschii (DD) genotypes, experiments were carried out under controlled environmental conditions in nutrient solution (i) to study the relationships between the rates of phytosiderophore (PS) release from the roots and the tolerance of diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid wheats and AE: tauschii to zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) deficiencies, and (ii) to assess the role of different genomes in PS release from roots under different regimes of Zn and Fe supply. Phytosiderophores released from roots were determined both by measurement of Cu mobilized from a Cu-loaded resin and identification by using HPLC analysis. Compared to tetraploid wheats, diploid and hexaploid wheats were less affected by Zn deficiency as judged from the severity of leaf symptoms. Aegilops tauschii showed very slight Zn deficiency symptoms possibly due to its slower growth rate. Under Fe-deficient conditions, all wheat genotypes used were similarly chlorotic; however, development of chlorosis was first observed in tetraploid wheats. Correlation between PS release rate determined by Cu-mobilization test and HPLC analysis was highly significant. According to HPLC analysis, all genotypes of Triticum and AE: tauschii species released only one PS, 2'-deoxymugineic acid, both under Fe and Zn deficiency. Under Zn deficiency, rates of PS release in tetraploid wheats averaged 1 micromol x (30 plants)(-1) x (3 h)(-1), while in hexaploid wheats rate of PS release was around 14 micromol x (30 plants)(-1) x (3 h)(-1). Diploid wheats and AE: tauschii accessions behaved similarly in their capacity to release PS and intermediate between tetraploid and hexaploid wheats regarding the PS release capacity. All Triticum and Aegilops species released more PS under Fe than Zn deficiency, particularly when the rate of PS release was expressed per unit dry weight of roots. On average, the rates of PS release under Fe deficiency were 3.0, 5.7, 8.4, and 16 micromol x (30 plants)(-1) x (3 h)(-1) for AE: tauschii, diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, respectively. The results of the present study show that the PS release mechanism in wheat is expressed effectively when three genomes, A, B and D, come together, indicating complementary action of the corresponding genes from A, B and D genomes to activate biosynthesis and release of PS.     

Plants recently discovered in Scotland

Summary

Saxifraga rosacea is recorded and Poa scotica described new to Scotland. The position of segregate taxa or breeding units within several species complexes is clarified within Scotland: (a) the hexaploid cytotype within the mostly tetraploid Campanula rotundifolia; (b) diploid Hedera helix and tetraploid H. hibernica;, (c) diploid and tetraploid Deschampsia cespitosa, D. alpina and D. parviflora; (d) octoploid sub-species scotica within usually hexaploid Festuca rubra; (e) an octoploid mountain Agrostis; (f) fertile hexaploid Potentilla anserina; (g) an approximately triploid aneuploid Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. microphyllum.     

A cytogenetic and phenotypic characterization of somatic hybrid plants obtained after fusion of two different dihaploid clones of potato (Solatium tuberosum L.)

Summary Somatic hybrid plants of various ploidy levels obtained after chemical fusion between two dihaploid clones of potato Solanum tuberosum L. have been analysed by cytological, morphological and molecular methods. The hybrid nature of tetraploid and hexaploid plants and the genome dosage in hexaploid hybrids were confirmed by Giemsa C-banding. Tetraploid and hexaploid hybrids showed numerical as well as structural chromosome mutations. The latter occurred mainly in the nuclear organizing chromosome. The tetraploid hybrids were more vigorous than the dihaploid parents as demonstrated by an increase in height, enlargement of leaves, increase in the number of internodes, restored potential for flowering and increased tuber yield. The grouping of tetraploid somatic hybrids into various classes on the basis of leaf morphology revealed that plants with a full chromosome complement were more uniform than aneuploids. Many hexaploid somatic hybrids were also more vigorous than the dihaploid parents and could be grouped into two different classes on the basis of floral colour and tuber characteristics, the differences being due to their different dosage of parental genomes. Most of the tetraploid somatic hybrids showed pollen development halted at the tetrad stage as one of the parental clones contained a S. Stoloniferum cytoplasm. However, one tetraploid plant produced pollen grains with high viability. The chloroplast genome in the hybrid plants was determined by RFLP analysis. All of the hybrids had a cpDNA pattern identical to one parent, which contained either S. Tuberosum or S. Stoloniferum cpDNA. A slight preference for S. Tuberosum plastids were observed in hybrid plants. No correlation between pollen development and plastid type could be detected.     

A new cytotype of Jacobaea vulgaris (Asteraceae): frequency,morphology and origin

Jacobaea vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (syn. Senecio jacobaea subsp. jacobaea) constitutes an intricate polyploid complex distributed in Europe. Four cytotypes have been reported in this species, three with euploid (diploid, tetraploid and octoploid; 2n=20, 40 and 80) and one with aneuploid (2n=32) chromosome numbers. Here we report that the diploid chromosome number (2n=20) reported from Bulgaria is due to misidentification with Jacobaea aquatica. On the other hand, we have discovered a new, hexaploid (2n=6x=60) cytotype within J. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris using flow cytometry. The new cytotype occurs within four sympatric populations of otherwise tetraploid and octoploid plants in Pannonia (one locality in the eastern Czech Republic and two localities in southwestern Slovakia) and in Podillya (one locality in western Ukraine). The frequency of hexaploid individuals within 76 studied populations is very low (only 10 of 693 analysed plants), and hexaploids probably represent hybrids between tetraploid and octoploid plants. Three mixed populations with hexaploid plants were subjected to detailed morphological and pollen fertility analyses. Multivariate morphometric analysis reveals partial separation of tetraploid and octoploid plants, whereas hexaploid individuals are similar in morphology to octoploids. In comparison with tetraploids, octoploids and hexaploids exhibit slightly longer ray florets, involucral bracts and tubular florets and more hairy outer achenes. Hexaploid plants display larger pollen grains and lower pollen fertility compared to tetraploids and octoploids.     

Hybridization in the genera Vulpia and Festuca (Poaceae): meiotic behaviour of artificial hybrids

The course of meiosis, including an analysis of chromosome configurations, is described for five diploid × diploid Vulpia crosses, five tetraploid × diploid Vulpia crosses, one hexaploid × diploid Festuca × Vulpia cross, one tetraploid × hexaploid Vulpia × Festuca cross, and one hexaploid × hexaploid Vulpia × Festuca cross. In most cases there was 97.5% or more pollen sterility, but two heptaploid plants obtained (presumably by non-reduction) from a hexaploid × diploid cross had about 60% stainable pollen. In the diploid hybrids pairing was quite extensive, and in V. ligustica × V. geniculata it was more or less as in the parent species (mode 7 bivalents, with regular separation). In the triploid hybrids the modal situation was 7 bivalents + 7 univalents, but evidence concerning the genomes which were pairing was equivocal. Evidence from the crosses at higher ploidy levels shows that both homogenetic and heterogenetic pairing does occur, although the relative amounts are uncertain. The results in general support the current classsification of Vulpia , except that they suggest the removal of V. alopecuros from section Loretia.     

Ancestry of American polyploid Hordeum species with the I genome inferred from 5S and 18S-25S rDNA

* BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The genus Hordeum exists at three ploidy levels (2x, 4x and 6x) and presents excellent material for investigating the patterns of polyploid evolution in plants. Here the aim was to clarify the ancestry of American polyploid species with the I genome. * METHODS: Chromosomal locations of 5S and 18S-25S ribosomal RNA genes were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In both polyploid and diploid species, variation in 18S-25S rDNA repeated sequences was analysed by the RFLP technique. * KEY RESULTS: Six American tetraploid species were divided into two types that differed in the number of rDNA sites and RFLP profiles. Four hexaploid species were similar in number and location of both types of rDNA sites, but the RFLP profiles of 18S-25S rDNA revealed one species, H. arizonicum, with a different ancestry. * CONCLUSIONS: Five American perennial tetraploid species appear to be alloploids having the genomes of an Asian diploid H. roshevitzii and an American diploid species. The North American annual tetraploid H. depressum is probably a segmental alloploid combining the two closely related genomes of American diploid species. A hexaploid species, H. arizonicum, involves a diploid species, H. pusillum, in its ancestry; both species share the annual growth habit and are distributed in North America. Polymorphisms of rDNA sites detected by FISH and RFLP analyses provide useful information to infer the phylogenetic relationships of I-genome Hordeum species because of their highly conserved nature during polyploid evolution.     

The evolutionary history of PDR in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachypodium</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">distachyon</Emphasis> polyploids

The ATP-binding cassette transporter genes include the pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) family found only in fungi and plants. These transporters transport toxic compounds across biological membranes. Here, we investigated the evolution of the PDR1 gene in Brachypodium distachyon, a widely distributed temperate grass species that belongs to the Poaceae (Gramineae) family, which also contains the domesticated cereal crops. Because this species has multiple ploidy levels, investigating PDR1 evolution in B. distachyon will offer insights into the formation and evolution of polyploidy. From 23 B. distachyon ecotypes, 39 PDR1 homologs were identified. All ecotypes had either one or two PDR1 copies. Based on restriction site analysis, the PDR1 homologs were classified as E or H type. All but one diploid and tetraploid ecotypes had only a single H type PDR1. All but one hexaploid ecotypes had both an E and a H type PDR1. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that each type formed a well-supported cluster. The two PDR1 types appeared to evolve differently. These different evolutionary patterns could indicate a difference in age between the two types or might indicate different mutation rates or selection pressures on the two types. The phylogenetic analysis also revealed that the hexaploid ecotypes shared a genomic origin for their E type PDR1, but there were multiple origins for hexaploid H type PDR1 homologs. Overall, the results suggest that tetraploid and hexaploid might be misnomers in B. distachyon and suggest a complex polyploidization history during B. distachyon evolution.     

Barriers to interbreeding in the Eriophyllum lanatum (Asteraceae, Helenieae) species complex

Sampling 426 plants from 271 populations of Eriophyllum lanatum, a western North American species complex, revealed 195 diploid (x = 8), 61 tetraploid, ten hexaploid, and five octoploid populations. Polyploids were ～400% more frequent in taxonomic intermediates. One to four supernumerary chromosomes were found in 13% of the populations. Artificial hybridizations were made in 58 of the 65 possible diploid-level combinations involving the ten varieties of E. lanatum and E. confertiflorum var. confertiflorum. Aberrations, mostly failure to pair normally, were observed in diakinesis or M(1) cells of progeny in 23 of 99 crosses. Studies of pollen stainability in cotton blue-lactophenol and other fertility indicators in 886 F(1)'s from 191 crosses involving 81 populations showed that strong (22-40% pollen stainability) to weak (60-76% pollen stainability) barriers to interbreeding existed among diploids of the E. lanatum varieties and among them and E. confertiflorum var. confertiflorum. Pollen stainability was much higher in progenies of tetraploid, hexaploid, and octoploid intra- and interspecific crosses involving E. confertiflorum var. tanacetiflorum, E. jepsonii, and E. latilobum than in diploid ones, supporting the hypothesis that polyploidy has mainly served to stabilize the products of intervarietal and interspecific hybridizations.     

Phytogeographical studies ofCalamagrostis sachalinensis (Gramineae)

Chromosome numbers were determined on 223 collections ofCalamagrostis sachalinensis from 18 localities in Japan. The plants were found to be tetraploid (2n=28), hexaploid (2n=42) or octoploid (2n=56). A few collections were found to include one or two B-chromosomes. The tetraploid collections were made from central Honshu and Mt. Apoi in Hokkaido, while the hexaploids and the octoploids were detected in many localities. Pollen examination of these collections showed that the tetraploids with but one exception have good pollen and the hexaploids and the octoploids have no pollen or have bad pollen with stainability less than 10%. With the help of pollen examination of a number of herbarium specimens, the distribution of the tetraploids and that of the assemblage of the hexaploids and octoploids were delineated. Morphological studies indicated that the tetraploid, hexaploid and octoploid plants can not be separated in gross and spikelet morphology and that the tetraploids in central Honshu and those in Mt. Apoi are significantly different in leaf features. It was concluded thatC. sachalinensis represents an apo-amphimictic complex, which includes the following four races: 1) tetraploid, amphimictic, having thin leaf blades 5–10 mm broad and growing on the subalpine conifer forest belt and the conifer forest-alpine ecotone in the mountains of central Honshu; 2) tetraploid, amphimictic, having hard leaf blades 2–6 mm broad and growing on the stony, arid and exposed alpine belt on Mt. Apoi in Hokkaido; 3) hexaploid, mainly apomictic, the most variable ecologically, widely distributed; 4) octoploid, mainly apomictic, frequent in the upper montane to alpine belts, probably widely distributed.     

Dryland Wheat Domestication Changed the Development of Aboveground Architecture for a Well-Structured Canopy

We examined three different-ploidy wheat species to elucidate the development of aboveground architecture and its domesticated mechanism under environment-controlled field conditions. Architecture parameters including leaf, stem, spike and canopy morphology were measured together with biomass allocation, leaf net photosynthetic rate and instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE_i). Canopy biomass density was decreased from diploid to tetraploid wheat, but increased to maximum in hexaploid wheat. Population yield in hexaploid wheat was higher than in diploid wheat, but the population fitness and individual competition ability was higher in diploid wheats. Plant architecture was modified from a compact type in diploid wheats to an incompact type in tetraploid wheats, and then to a more compact type of hexaploid wheats. Biomass accumulation, population yield, harvest index and the seed to leaf ratio increased from diploid to tetraploid and hexaploid, associated with heavier specific internode weight and greater canopy biomass density in hexaploid and tetraploid than in diploid wheat. Leaf photosynthetic rate and WUE_i were decreased from diploid to tetraploid and increased from tetraploid to hexaploid due to more compact leaf type in hexaploid and diploid than in tetraploid. Grain yield formation and WUE_i were closely associated with spatial stance of leaves and stems. We conclude that the ideotype of dryland wheats could be based on spatial reconstruction of leaf type and further exertion of leaf photosynthetic rate.     

A and D genomes spatial separation at somatic metaphase in tetraploid cotton: evidence for genomic disposition in a polyploid plant

Chromosomal dispositions were analyzed on the metaphase plate of tetraploid cotton (AADD). At metaphase, the two subgenomes, A and D, were separated in a radial pattern in which the small D subgenome chromosomes tended to concentrate at the center and the large A subgenome chromosomes were scattered about the periphery on the metaphase plate. Although the ordered chromosome arrangement was disturbed in an artificial hexaploid (AADDGG), the separation pattern could be recovered after the majority of the additional genome (GG) chromosomes were removed by backcrossing the artificial hexaploid with the tetraploid cotton (AADD). A similar genome separation phenomenon was also found in synthesized tetraploid cotton (AAGG). These results indicate that the genome separation pattern could be established immediately after tetraploid cotton formation and could be stably inherited in tetraploid cotton. Given the evidence of parental genome separation in other plants and animals, we speculated that genome separation might be a normal phenomenon in diploid and polyploid species. These finding will shed light on the chromosome conformation in plant cells.     

Rapid Elimination of Low-Copy DNA Sequences in Polyploid Wheat: A Possible Mechanism for Differentiation of Homoeologous Chromosomes

To study genome evolution in allopolyploid plants, we analyzed polyploid wheats and their diploid progenitors for the occurrence of 16 low-copy chromosome- or genome-specific sequences isolated from hexaploid wheat. Based on their occurrence in the diploid species, we classified the sequences into two groups: group I, found in only one of the three diploid progenitors of hexaploid wheat, and group II, found in all three diploid progenitors. The absence of group II sequences from one genome of tetraploid wheat and from two genomes of hexaploid wheat indicates their specific elimination from these genomes at the polyploid level. Analysis of a newly synthesized amphiploid, having a genomic constitution analogous to that of hexaploid wheat, revealed a pattern of sequence elimination similar to the one found in hexaploid wheat. Apparently, speciation through allopolyploidy is accompanied by a rapid, nonrandom elimination of specific, low-copy, probably noncoding DNA sequences at the early stages of allopolyploidization, resulting in further divergence of homoeologous chromosomes (partially homologous chromosomes of different genomes carrying the same order of gene loci). We suggest that such genomic changes may provide the physical basis for the diploid-like meiotic behavior of polyploid wheat.     

Cytotaxonomical studies in Tribulus terrestris and T. alatus (Zygophyllaceae)

The chromosome numbers and meiotic behaviour of twenty morphologically variable populations of 7. terrestris and four of T. alatus were studied and compared. All populations of /. terrestris were hexaploid (2n = 36). They fall in one of the three morphological–eytological groups: I) robust with normal meiosis and pollen grains, II) less–robust with abnormal meiosis and high frequency of smaller pollen grains, and III) mixture of type II and dwarf plants. Seed set was high in all but the dwarfs. It appears that group I reproduces sexually while the other two groups have a certain degree of apomixis, and that the dwarf plants probably resulted from the fusion of cytologically unbalanced gametes. Tribulus alatus populations were tetraploid (2n = 24). Bud material adequate for meiotic studies were unavailable, but the wide range in size of pollen grains indirectly signifies meiotic abnormalities. So far, only the tetraploid race has been examined, while other chromosome races may exist.     

The origin and meiotic behaviour of hexaploid northern wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachyum)

The occurrence of hexaploid (2n = 6x = 42) forms in some otherwise natural tetraploid populations of Agropyron dasystachyum (2n = 4x = 28) was cytologically detected and studied. The hexaploid plants are morphologically similar to the tetraploids except for a small reduction in the anther size. The general survey of chromosome numbers of natural Northern Wheatgrass (A. dasystachyum 2n = 4x = 28) populations derived from eight different regions of Alberta indicated that the occurrence of hexaploid variants was not restricted to a single locality. A comparative study of chromosome pairing in the natural and the synthetic hexaploids revealed that the naturally occurring 42-chromosomed plants of A. dasystachyum originated as a result of fertilization between unreduced (SSHH) and the natural (SH) gametes, both coming from the tetraploid form of A. dasystachyum. Based on chromosome pairing, the genomes of the natural hexaploid A. dasystachyum have been designated as SSSHHH. The natural hexaploids appear to intercross among themselves and also with tetraploids producing euploid and aneuploid hybrids. The possible evolutionary significance of these findings is briefly discussed.     

Differences in Zinc Efficiency among and within Diploid, Tetraploid and Hexaploid Wheats

Greenhouse experiments were carried out with six diploid, ninetetraploid and seven hexaploid wheats, including wild and primitivegenotypes, to study the influence of varied zinc (Zn) supplyon the severity of Zn deficiency symptoms, shoot dry matterproduction and shoot Zn concentrations. In addition to wildand primitive genotypes, one modern tetraploid cultivar withhigh sensitivity to Zn deficiency and two modern hexaploid cultivars,one highly sensitive to and one resistant to Zn deficiency,were included for comparison. Plants were grown for 44 d ina severely Zn-deficient calcareous soil, with (+Zn; 5 mg Znkg^-1soil) and without (-Zn) Zn fertilization. Visible Zn deficiencysymptoms, including whitish-brown necrotic patches on leaf blades,appeared very rapidly and severely in all tetraploid wheat genotypes.Compared with tetraploid wheats, diploid and hexaploid wheatswere less sensitive to Zn deficiency. With additional Zn, shootdry matter production was higher in tetraploid than diploidand hexaploid wheats. However, under Zn-deficient conditionstetraploid wheats had the lowest shoot dry matter production,indicating the very high sensitivity of tetraploid wheats toZn deficiency. Consequently, Zn efficiency expressed as theratio of shoot dry matter produced under Zn deficiency to Znfertilization, was much lower in tetraploid wheats than in diploidand hexaploid wheats. On average, Zn efficiency ratios were36% for tetraploid, 60% for diploid and 64% for hexaploid wheats.Differences in Zn efficiency among and within diploid, tetraploidand hexaploid wheats were positively related to the amount ofZn per shoot of the genotypes, but not to the amount of Zn perunit dry weight of shoots or seeds used in the experiments.The seeds of the accessions of tetraploid wild wheats containedup to 120 mg Zn kg^-1, but the resulting plants showed very highsensitivity to Zn deficiency. By contrast, hexaploid wheatsand primitive diploid wheats with much lower Zn concentrationsin seeds had higher Zn efficiencies. It is suggested that notonly enhanced Zn uptake capacity but also enhanced internalZn utilization capacity of genotypes play important roles indifferential expression of Zn efficiency. The results of thisstudy also suggest the importance of the A and D genomes asthe possible source of genes determining Zn efficiency in wheat.Copyright 1999 Annals of Botany Company Seeds, Triticum aestivum, Triticum monococcum, Triticum turgidum, zinc concentrations, zinc deficiency, zinc efficiency.