Cytogenetics of ditelotetrasomics for short arms of four chromosomes of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Summary Plants with a pair of extra homologous telocentric chromosomes in addition to the normal chromosome complement are called ditelotetrasomics. Six types of ditelotetrasomics of barley have been obtained. Four types obtained in the selfed progenies of telotrisomics (Triplo 2S, Triplo 5S, Triplo 6S, and Triplo 7S) are reported in this paper. The ditelotetra 2S showed a stronger expression of the diagnostic characteristics of Triplo 2S. It was weak and small, with narrow, short, dark-green leaves, and was almost completely pollen and seed sterile. However, three other ditelotetrasomics (ditelotetra 5S, 6S, and 7S) did not show specific diagnostic characteristics and were similar to normal diploid plants, with the exception of ditelotetrasomic 5S, which showed some effects. At meiotic diakinesis and metaphase I, these ditelotetrasomic plants showed chromosome configurations of 6_II+1_IV, 7_II+1 telo_II, 6_II+1_III+1telo_I, or 7_II+2 telo_I. Most of the sporocytes at anaphase and telophase in the first and second meiotic divisions showed almost normal chromosome behavior. Quartets were mostly normal with no micronuclei. Approximately 30% of the selfed progenies of these three ditelotetrasomics were ditelotetrasomics and almost 50% were telotrisomics, indicating a high percentage of male and female transmission of the extra telocentric chromosomes.