SYNTHETIC HYBRIDS OF NEW WORLD AND OLD WORLD AGROPYRONS: III. AGROPYRON REPENS × TETRAPLOID AGROPYRON SPICATUM

Three hybrids of A. repens, 2n = 42, × A. spicatum, 2n = 28, and two reciprocal hybrids were obtained from emasculated and unemasculated crosses, respectively. The 35-chromosome hybrids tended to be morphologically intermediate between the parent species but resembled A. repens more closely than A. spicatum. A. repens behaved cytologically as a segmental autoallohexaploid, and A. spicatum acted cytologically as an autotetraploid. Mean chromosome associations of 8.04 I, 12.72 II, 0.41 III, 0.06 IV, and 0.009 V were observed in 116 hybrid cells at metaphase I. Most chromosome pairing in the hybrids was attributed to autosyndesis. A. spicatum, A. repens, and their hybrids were represented by genome formulas of SSSS, R₁R₁X₁X₁X₂X₂, and SSR₁X₁X₂, respectively. Hybrid fertility ranged from 0.02 to 0.69 seeds per spikelet.     

SYNTHETIC HYBRIDS OF NEW WORLD AND OLD WORLD AGROPYRONS II. AGROPYRON RIPARIUM X AGROPYRON REPENS

Five hybrids were obtained from 12 seeds formed in 26 emasculated florets of A. riparium pollinated by A. repens. The hybrid plants were morphologically intermediate between the parents for vegetative and spike characteristics, although they resembled A. repens more closely than A. riparium. The 28-chromosome A. riparium parent behaved cytologically as an allotetraploid and formed an average of 13.98 II and 0.04 I in 94 cells at metaphase I. An average of 20.27 II and 0.36 IV were observed at metaphase I in 55 cells of A. repens, which was designated as a segmental autoallohexaploid. The hybrids contained 35 chromosomes and averaged 6.75 I, 12.49 II, 1.05 III, 0.01 IV, and 0.01 V in 162 cells interpreted at metaphase I. Bivalent chromosome pairing in the hybrids was attributed to autosyndetic pairing of 2 A. repens genomes and allosyndetic pairing between 1 A. riparium genome and 1 A. repens genome. Multivalent chromosome associations were attributed to structural hybridity. A. repens and A. riparium apparently share a genome in common, and this genome is the one responsible for rhizomes in both species. A. riparium was given a genome formula of R₂R₂SS; whereas the A. repens genome formula was written as R₁R₁X₁X₁X₂X₂, and the hybrid genome formula was designated as R₁R₂X₁X₂S. The “S” genome of A. riparium was derived from A. spicatum, and the “R” genome is the genome shared by A. repens and A. riparium. The origin and distribution of the so-called “X” genomes of A. repens remain unknown. The hybrids produced from 3 to 10% stainable pollen; however, no seed was set on the hybrids during 2 years in the field.     

SYNTHETIC HYBRIDS OF NEW WORLD AND OLD WORLD AGROPYRONS. I. TETRAPLOID AGROPYRON SPICATUM × DIPLOID AGROPYRON CRISTATUM

Four interspecific hybrids of tetraploid A. spicatum × diploid A. cristatum ‘Fairway’ were obtained by controlled pollinations of emasculated and unemasculated spikes of A. spicatum. Most vegetative and spike characteristics of the hybrids were intermediate between those of the parent species. Tetraploid A. spicatum behaved cytologically as an autotetraploid, with mean chromosome associations of 0.09 I, 7.95 II, 0.03 III, and 2.98 IV being observed in 103 cells interpreted. The diploid A. cristatum was cytologically regular and formed 7 bivalents in 160 of 163 cells examined. Meiosis in the triploid hybrids was highly irregular, and these plants were completely sterile. Chromosomes of A. spicatum and A. cristatum differed sufficiently in size so that they could be distinguished in the hybrids. Seven bivalents and 7 univalents were formed in 90.5% of 262 cells interpreted at metaphase I. Mean chromosome associations of 6.87 I, 6.98 II, and 0.05 III were observed in the hybrids. Most chromosome pairing was due to autosyndesis of A. spicatum chromosomes, but A. cristatum chromosomes occasionally paired among themselves and with A. spicatum chromosomes. Tetraploid A. spicatum was considered to be an autotetraploid. On the basis of cytological evidence, A. cristatum, A. spicatum, and their interspecific hybrids were represented by genome formulae of AA, BBBB, and ABB, respectively.     

MORPHOLOGY AND CYTOLOGY OF SYNTHETIC HYBRIDS OF AGROPYRON TRICHOPHORUM X AGROPYRON CRISTATUM

Dewey, Douglas R. (Utah State U., Logan.) Morphology and (cytology of synthetic hybrids of Agropyron trichophorum X Agropyron cristatum. Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(10): 1028–1034. Illus 1963.—Three hybrids were obtained from controlled crosses of pubescent wheatgrass, A. trichophorum (2n = 42), and hexaploid crested wheatgrass, A. cristatum (211 = 42). The hybrids were intermediate between the parent plants for all vegetative and spike characteristics observed. Under open pollination, 2 of the hybrids set 2 seeds each, and the other hybrid produced 60 seeds. Meiosis in the parent plants was basically regular. Average motaphase-I chromosome associations were 0.09 I, 20.56 II, 0.05 III, and 0.16 IV per cell in the A. trichophorum parent, which was described as a segmental autoallohexaploid. The hexaploid A. cristatum parent averaged 0.18 I, 7.44 II, 0.81 III, 2.86 IV, 0.08 V, and 2.11 VI per cell at diakinesis and was described as an autohexaploid. Chromosome pairing in the hexaploid hybrid averaged 5.08 I, 8.94 II, 4.33 III, 1.11 IV, 0.27 V, and 0.05 VI per cell. On the basis of chromosome pairing in the parent species and their hybrids, it was concluded that 1 of the A. trichophorum genomes was partially homologous with the 3 genomes of hexaploid A. cristatum. Genome formulae for hexaploid A. cristatum, A. trichophorum, and their hybrids were represented as AAAAAA, A₁A₁B₁B₁B₂B₂, and AAAA₁B₁B₂ respectively.     

MORPHOLOGY,FERTILITY, AND CYTOLOGY OF AGROPYRON REPENS × AGROPYRON DESERTORUM F2'S

Dewey , Douglas R. (Crops Res. Lab., Agric. Expt. Sta., Logan, Utah.) Morphology, fertility, and cytology of Agropyron repens × Agropyron desertorum F₂'s . Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(1): 78–86. Illus. 1962.—An 82-plant population derived from F₁ hybrids of A. repens × A. desertorum included morphological types indistinguishable from the parent species as well as many intermediate forms. Most, if not all, of the F₂ population were products of backcrossing of F₁ hybrids to one of the parent species. Backcrossing of F₁ hybrids to A. repens and A. desertorum occurred with equal frequency. Fifty-four percent of the F₂ plants were completely sterile. Fertility in the F₂ population was related to the nature of the F₁ backcross. F₂ plants obtained from backcrossing to A. desertorum were more fertile than equivalent backcrosses to A. repens. Fertility in the F₂'s was concentrated in a few plants. Nine F₂'s accounted for 85% of the seed produced in the 82-plant population. The most fertile plant produced 441 viable seeds. Meiotic chromosome counts of 66 F₂'s ranged from 30 to 49 and averaged 36. Chromosome number was related to the direction of the backcross. Chromosome associations in all F₂ plants at metaphase I included many different combinations of univalents, bivalents and trivalents. Occasional pairing of A. repens and A. desertorum chromosomes were noted in some F₂'s. On the basis of morphology, fertility and chromosome pairing, genome formulae were assigned to the parent species. The genome formula of A. repens was given as BBBBCC and A. desertorum was designated as AAAA.     

THE ORIGIN OF AGROPYRON ALBICANS

Previous suggestions of introgression between Agropyron spicatum (Pursh) Scribn. & Smith, 2n = 14 & 28, and Agropyron dasystachyum (Hook.) Scribn., 2n = 28, were confirmed. Fertile, meiotically regular, 28-chromosome plants morphologically identical to Agropyron albicans Scribn. & Smith, 2n = 28, occurred in first- and second-generation open-pollination progenies of diploid A. spicatum × A. dasystachyum hybrids, presumably by backcrossing to A. dasystachyum. These A. albicans-like derivatives were fully cross-compatible with naturally occurring A. albicans. First and second generation open-pollination progeny of tetraploid A. spicatum × A. dasystachyum F₁'s contained approximately 5% A. albicans-like plants; but none was tetraploid, cytologically stable, and fertile. Although introgression occurs freely between tetraploid A. spicatum and A. dasystachyum, derivation of fertile true-breeding A. albicans from their early-generation progeny seems unlikely. Agropyron griffithsii Scribn. & Smith ex. Piper, the glabrous counterpart of A. albicans, probably originated from hybrids between diploid A. spicatum and Agropyron riparium Scribn. & Smith, the glabrous form of A. dasystachyum. Genome formulas of diploid A. spicatum, A. dasystachyum (riparium), and A. albicans (griffithsii) may be written as S₁S₁, S₂S₂XX, and S_1-2 S_1-2XX, respectively. The relationship between A. albicans and A. dasystachyum is so close that A. albicans should be regarded as no more than a subspecies of A. dasystachyum.     

SYNTHETIC HYBRIDS OF AGROPYRON ALBICANS X A. DASYSTACHYUM,SITANION HYSTRIX,AND ELYMUS CANADENSIS

Emasculated crosses of Agropyron albicans Scribn. & Smith with A. dasystachyum (Hook.) Scribn., Sitanion hystrix (Nutt.) J. G. Smith, and Elymus canadensis L. yielded 34, 5, and 9 viable hybrid seeds from 66, 45, and 52 florets, respectively. The hybrids were for the most part morphologically intermediate between their respective parents. The parents behaved cytologically as allotetraploids, 2n = 28; but meiosis in A. albicans was somewhat more irregular than in the other three species. Chromosome pairing was good in all hybrids and indicated that the genomes of the parent species were closely homologous, but only the A. albicans × A. dasystachyum hybrids set seed. Although closely related, A. albicans and A. dasystachyum are not fully conspecific. Agropyron albicans was considered to be a subspecies of A. dasystachyum, as were A. riparium Scribn. & Smith and A. griffithsii Scribn. & Smith ex Piper.     

Cytological studies on F1 hybrids of Solanum integrifolium with S. melongena and S. melongena var. insanum

S. integrifolium (2n = 24) can easily be crossed as the pistillate parent with S. melongena (2n = 24) and S. melongena var. insanum (2n = 24). However, crosses in the other direction do not succeed. Both hybrids are vigorous. Chromosome association at diakinesis and metaphase I was studied. Chromosome associations higher than bivalents were observed in the hybrids indicating structural repatterning of chromosomes. The modal chromosome association in hybrids was twelve bivalents per PMC. This is suggestive of the retention of ancestral chromosome homeologies by the taxa concerned. Despite regular meiosis both hybrids were highly pollen-sterile (about 95%), which was attributed to segregational events of the recombined chromosomes.     

Comparative demography of co-occurring introduced and native tussock grasses: persistence and potential expansion

Summary Demographic characteristics associated with the maintenance and growth of populations, such as seed dynamics, seedling emergence, survival, and tiller dynamics were examined for two tussock grasses, the native Agropyron spicatum and the introduced Agropyron desertorum in a 30-month field study. The introduced grass was aerially sown onto a native grassland site. Seed production of the introduced grass was greater than the native grass in both above- and below-average precipitation years. Seeds of A. spicatum were dispersed when they mature, while A. desertorum retained some seeds in inflorescences, and dispersed them slowly throughout the year. This seed retention allowed some seeds of the introduced grass to escape peak periods of seed predation during the summer and allowed seeds to be deposited constantly into the seed bank. Carryover of seeds in the seed bank beyond one year occurred in the introduced grass but not in the native species. For both species, seedling emergence occurred in both autumn or spring. Survival rates for A. desertorum were higher than A. spicatum when seedlings emerged between November and March. Survival rates of cohorts emerging before November favored A. spicatum whereas survival rates did not differ between species for cohorts emerging after March. Individuals of both species emerging after April were unable to survive the summer drought. Demographic factors associated with seeds of A. desertorum seemed to favor the maintenance and spread of this introduced grass into native stands formerly dominated by A. spicatum.     

SYNTHETIC AGROPYRON-ELYMUS HYBRIDS: II. ELYMUS CANADENSIS X AGROPYRON DASYSTACHYUM

Pollination of 40 emasculated E. canadensis florets with A. dasystachyum pollen gave rise to 12 shriveled seeds, one of which was viable. The hybrid seedling developed into a vigorous plant whose vegetative and spike characteristics were for the most part intermediate between those of the parents. Both parents behaved cytologically as allotetraploids, 2n = 28, and formed 14 bivalents regularly at metaphase I. Chromosome associations in the hybrid, 2n = 28, averaged 0.42 I, 13.70 II, 0.02 III, and 0.03 IV in 142 metaphase-I cells interpreted. The hybrid produced 165 seeds under open-pollination during its second year in the field. E. canadensis and A. dasystachyum apparently contain closely homologous genomes whose major structural differences consist of several inverted segments and possibly a small reciprocal translocation. The close homology between the E. canadensis and A. dasystachyum genomes was unexpected in view of the wide morphological, ecological, and reproductive differences that separate the two species.     

SYNTHETIC AGROPYRON-ELYMUS HYBRIDS: III. ELYMUS CANADENSIS X AGROPYRON CANINUM,A. TRACHYCAULUM,AND A. STRIATUM

Hybrids were produced with relative ease from controlled crosses of Elymus canadensis L. with European Agropyron caninum (L.) Beauv., North American A. trachycaulum (Link) Malte ex H. F. Lewis, and Asian A. striatum Nees ex Steud. All hybrids appeared to be completely sterile and were, for the most part, morphologically intermediate between their parents. The E. canadensis × A. caninum hybrids were exceptionally vigorous and leafy and may have some potential as forage grasses if fertility can be achieved. All parent plants were tetraploid, 2n = 28, and they behaved cytologically as alloploids. Chromosome pairing in the hybrids indicated that both E. canadensis genomes were closely homologous with those of A. trachycaulum and somewhat less homologous with those of A. caninum. Interchanged and inverted chromosome segments apparently constitute the major differences between E. canadensis, A. trachycaulum, and A. caninum genomes; however, cryptic structural differences must also exist. Partial homologies were detected between one A. striatum and E. canadensis genome, but their other genomes were distinctly different. The genome relations between the parent species were expressed in terms of the following genome formulas: E. canadensis, S₁S₁X₁X₁; A. trachycaulum, S₂S₂X₂X₂; A. caninum, S₃S₃X₃X₃ : and A. striatum S₄S₄YY or X₄X₄YY, where “S” refers to a genome derived from A. spicatum and “X” and “Y” are genomes of unknown origin.     

GENOME ANALYSIS OF AGROPYRON REPENS × AGROPYRON CRISTATUM SYNTHETIC HYBRIDS

Hexaploid A. repens, 2n = 42, and diploid A. cristatum, 2n = 14, were hybridized and gave rise to two 28-chromosome reciprocal hybrids. Approximately 1% of hand-emasculated florets of both parent species produced viable hybrid seed following controlled pollination. Early embryo abortion prevented greater hybrid seed set on A. repens, whereas failure of fertilization appeared to be the major cause of poor hybrid seed set on A. cristatum. Reciprocal differences in hybrid vegetative and spike morphology were striking. The A. repens × A. cristatum hybrid was vigorous, highly rhizomatous, and bore abundant spikes whose morphology was intermediate between that of the parent species. A. cristatum × A. repens hybrids were weak, non-rhizomatous with frequently-malformed spikes. Mean chromosome associations of 0.10 I, 20.10 II, and 0.43 IV were observed in 134 metaphase-I cells of A. repens. Subsequent meiotic stages were regular except for occasional laggards and bridges at anaphase I and II. Metaphase-I chromosome associations averaged 0.07 I and 6.97 II in 124 A. cristatum cells. Chromosome pairing in the hybrids was highly variable and averaged 11.45 I, 7.58 II, 0.44 III, and 0.02 IV per cell in 187 cells interpreted. From 5 to 14 laggards appeared in every hybrid cell at anaphase I. Bridges were observed in approximately 25% of the anaphase-I cells. Similar irregularities were observed at anaphase II. Pollen viability was estimated as 3%, and the hybrids failed to set viable seed. On the basis of chromosome pairing in the species itself and in the hybrids, A. repens was designated as a segmental autoallohexaploid with a genome formula of the type A₁A₁A₂A₂BB. Although A. repens and A. cristatum chromosomes paired occasionally, the genomes of the 2 species were essentially non-homologous. Some of the interpretational difficulties of genome analysis were discussed.     

TRISOMICS IN SOLANUM CHACOENSE: FERTILITY AND CYTOLOGY

Twenty trisomic plants found in the progeny 3x x 2x crosses in Solatium chacoense and their F₁ trisomies obtained by 2x + 1 X 2x crosses were studied with respect to their fertility and cytology. The female transmission of the extra chromosome in the trisomics varied from 2 to 60 %. The transmission frequencies of F₁ trisomies were similar to their parent trisomies in most of the lines. The transmission through the pollen ranged from 0 to 20 %. Female and male fertility of the parent trisomies was high. They produced an average of 37 seeds per pollination as the female or as the male parent. The F₁ trisomies produced about half the seed set of their parent trisomies. The extra chromosomes of six trisomies were identified by pachytene analysis. They were isochromosomes for the long arms of chromosomes I, IV and IX and the short arms of IV, IX and XII. Chromosome morphology of the extra chromosomes in pachytene stage was described. A chromosome association of 12 II + 1 I was found in 66 % of the cells at MI. About 29 % of the cells had one trivalent and 5 % had three or five univalents. The frequency of trivalent formation was not affected by the length of the extra chromosome. The possibility of univalent shift in secondary trisomies was discussed.     

SYNTHETIC AGROPYRON-ELYMUS HYBRIDS. I. ELYMUS CANADENSIS × AGROPYRON SUBSECUNDUM

Twenty-four seeds were formed in 34 hand-emasculated E. canadensis florets exposed to A. subsecundum pollen. Fifteen of the 24 seeds germinated, and 12 plants were raised to maturity. Each of the 12 plants proved to be a hybrid. The hybrids were morphologically intermediate between the parents, although they favored A. subsecundum in general appearance. The parent plants were meiotically regular and behaved cytologically as strict allotetraploids, 2n = 28. Fourteen bivalents were formed in 12.6% of the hybrid cells interpreted at metaphase I. All other hybrid cells contained various combinations of univalents, bivalents, and multivalents. Mean chromosome associations of 0.22 univalents, 11.70 bivalents, 0.11 trivalente, 0.23 quadrivalents, 0.01 pentavalents, and 0.55 hexavalents were observed in 135 hybrid cells. All hybrid pollen examined was shriveled and non-staining. Five hybrids produced eight seeds, and seven hybrids were completely sterile. The ready cross-compatibility of E. canadensis and A. subsecundum and the relatively good chromosome pairing in their hybrids suggest a much closer relationship between the parent species than is implied by the prevailing taxonomic treatment. Structural rearrangements appear to be responsible for the relatively few differences between E. canadensis and A. subsecundum genomes and for the sterility of the hybrids. Cytological data from this and other investigations indicate a close relationship between many self-fertilizing Agropyron, Elymus, and Sitanion species. It is postulated that this composite of self-fertilizing Agropyron, Elymus, and Sitanion species originated by hybridization between A. spicatum and an unidentified Hordeum species.     

HYBRIDIZATION IN THE GENUS GLYCINE SUBGENUS GLYCINE WILLD. (LEGUMINOSAE,PAPILIONOIDEAE)

The genus Glycine is composed of two subgenera, Glycine and Soja. Soja includes the cultivated soybean, G. max, and its wild annual counterpart G. soja, while Glycine includes seven wild perennial species. Hybridization was carried out within and between wild perennial species of the subgenus Glycine. The success rate (pods set/flowers crossed) was 11% for intraspecific and 8% for interspecific crosses. A total of 220 F₁ hybrids was examined morphologically and cytologically where possible. Hybrids within G. canescens (2n = 40) and G. latifolia (2n = 40) were fertile as expected. Glycine clandestina (2n = 40) was morphologically separable into at least three groups, which produced fertile hybrids within each group. One cross between two groups gave vegetatively vigorous but sterile hybrids. The majority of crosses within G. tabacina (2n = 80) were fertile, except that extremely narrow-leaved forms gave sterile hybrids in combination with more usual forms. Sterility was also encountered in G. tomentella when aneuploids (2n = 78) from New South Wales, Australia, were crossed with tetraploids (2n = 80) from either Queensland, Australia, or Taiwan; crosses between the latter two populations resulted in seedling lethality. Cytological behavior of sterile hybrids followed a similar pattern, whether at the diploid or tetraploid level. The frequency of chromosome pairing was approximately half that expected if genomes showed full pairing homology. Bivalent disjunction at anaphase I was usually followed by precocious division of the majority of univalents. Telophase I and II were characterized by lagging chromosomes and micronuclei, so that resulting pollen was misshapen and sterile. Chromosome pairing data from sterile intraspecific hybrids at the tetraploid level may indicate a polyphyletic origin of tetraploids, whereby different diploid populations were involved in their formation. Similarly, chromosome pairing in sterile intraspecific diploid hybrids may indicate that the various diploid groups arose independently of one another. Both 40- and 80-chromosome forms are fully diploidized, however, and if they are of ancient origin, divergence since that time could have resulted in the chromosomal differentiation which becomes apparent when intraspecific hybridization is effected. Diploid (2n = 40) interspecific hybrids G. falcata × G. canescens, and G. falcata × G. tomentella grew poorly and did not reach flowering stage. Diploid (2n = 40) crosses between G. latifolia and G. tomentella produced inviable seedlings. Tetraploid (2n = 80) hybrids between G. tomentella and G. tabacina were vegetatively vigorous but sterile owing to low chromosome pairing at meiosis, indicating little pairing homology between the two species. Diploid hybrids between G. canescens and G. clandestina, however, showed almost complete chromosome pairing at diakinesis and partial fertility. Although morphologically distinct, these two species have not diverged sufficiently to prevent hybridization and possible gene exchange through recombination. Self compatibility, perennial growth habit, and geographic isolation have favored divergence among Glycine populations to the point that gene exchange appears no longer possible in many cases. Internal isolating mechanisms have been shown to operate at various levels of plant development from hybrid lethality at seedling stage, to failure of seed-set in sterile but vegetatively vigorous hybrids.     

The genomic relationship between Glycine max (L.) Merr. and G. soja Sieb. and Zucc. as revealed by pachytene chromosome analysis

Summary This study was conducted with the objective of determining the genomic relationship between cultivated soybean (Glycine max) and wild soybean (G. soja) of the subgenus Soja, genus Glycine. Observations on cross-ability rate, hybrid viability, meiotic chromosome pairing, and pollen fertility in F ₁ hybrids of G. max × G. soja and reciprocals elucidated that both species hybridized readily and set mature putative hybrid pods, generated vigorous F₁ plants, had a majority of sporocytes that showed 18II + 1IV chromosome association at diakinesis and metaphase I, and had a pollen fertility that ranged from 49.2% to 53.3%. A quadrivalent was often associated with the nucleolus, suggesting that one of the chromosomes involved in the interchange is a satellited chromosome. Thus, G. max and G. soja genetic stocks used in this study have been differentiated by a reciprocal translocation. Pachytene analysis of F₁ hybrids helped construct chromosome maps based on chromosome length and euchromatin and heterochromatin distribution. Chromosomes were numbered in descending order of 1–20. Pachytene chromosomes in soybean showed heterochromatin distribution on either side of the centromeres. Pachytene analysis revealed small structural differences for chromosomes 6 and 11 which were not detected at diakinesis and metaphase I. This study suggests that G. max and G. soja carry similar genomes and validates the previously assigned genome symbol GG.Research supported in part by the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station and U.S. Department of Agriculture Competitive Research Grant (85-CRCR-1-1616)     

THE ORIGIN OF AGROPYRON LEPTOURUM

Colchicine-induced amphiploids, 2n = 42, of diploid Agropyron libanoticum Hack., 2n = 14, X tetraploid A. caninum (L.) Beauv., 2n = 28, were morphologically and cytologically similar to A. leptourum (Nevski) Grossh., 2n = 42. Both A. leptourum and the induced amphiploids were self-fertilizing. The induced amphiploids crossed readily with A. leptourum and gave rise to partially fertile hexaploid hybrids. Chromosome pairing in the hybrids averaged 0.60^I, 18.29^II, 0.36^III, 0.58^,v, 0.02^v, and 0.22^VI in 90 diakinesis or metaphase-I cells. The genomes of the induced amphiploids are essentially homologous with those of A. leptourum except for two or more reciprocal translocations. The morphological, cytological, fertility, and crossing data provide conclusive evidence that A. libanoticum and A. caninum, or their close relatives, are the parents of A. leptourum. The genome formulas of A. libanoticum, A. caninum, and A. leptourum may be written as SS, S_xS_xH_xH_x, and SSS_xS_xH_xH_x, respectively, where S is the basic A. libanoticum genome and H is a genome derived from Hordeum.     

Production and cytogenetics of Triticum aestivum L. hybrids with some rhizomatous Agropyron species

Summary Intergeneric hybrids between Triticum aestivum L. and conventional rhizomatous Agropyron species were produced in variable frequencies. They were recovered in high percentage frequencies for T. aestivum cultivars with A. acutum (14.6%), A. intermedium (48.0%), A. pulcherrimum (53.3%), and A. trichophorum (46.6%). The crossability percentages with the highly crossable cultivar Chinese Spring for these Agropyron species accessions were 33.12%, 65.0%, 53.3%, and 65.4%, respectively. Autosyndetic associations of two of their three genomes gave mean meiotic chromosome association data of 17.0 I (univalents) +1.53 II (ring bivalents) + 7.04 II (rod bivalents) +1.43 III (trivalents) +0.05 IV (quadrivalents) +0.01 IV (pentavalents) for A. acutum and of 21.8 I + 1.56 II (rings) +7.22 II (rods) +0.84 III + 0.04 IV for A. intermedium. Chromosome pairing at metaphase I was comparatively lower for A. pulcherrimum (34.4 I + 0.2 II (rings) +3.4 II (rods) +0.14 III) and A. trichophorum (36.7 I + 0.35 II (rings) +2.26 II (rods) + 0.04 III) hybrids with T. aestivum. Hybrids of wheat with A. campestre and A. repens were obtained in low frequency. Direct crossing did not permit T. aestivum/ A. desertorum hybridization. However, by utilizing the 2n=10x=70 A. repens/A. desertorum amphiploid as the pollen source, hybridization with T. aestivum did indeed occur. Aneuploidy was prevalent in this hybrid combination while all other hybrid combinations were apparently normal.     

Competitive ability is linked to rates of water extraction

Summary The relative competitive abilities of Agropyron desertorum and Agropyron spicatum under rangeland conditions were compared using Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis transplants as indicator plants. We found A. desertorum to have substantially greater competitive ability than A. spicatum as manifested by the responses of Artemisia shrubs that were transplanted into nearly monospecific stands of these grass species. The Artemisia indicator plants had lower survival, growth, reproduction, and late-season water potential in the neighborhoods dominated by A. desertorum than in those dominated by A. spicatum. In similar, essentially monospecific grass stands, neutron probe soil moisture measurements showed that stands of A. desertorum extracted water more rapidly from the soil profile than did those of A. spicatum. These differences in extraction rates correlate clearly with the differences in indicator plant success in the respective grass stands. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in Artemisia tissues suggested these nutrients were not limiting indicator plant growth and survival in the A. desertorum plots.     

Hybrids and backcross progenies between wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and apomictic Australian wheatgrass [Elymus rectisetus (Nees in Lehm.) A. Löve & Connor]: karyotypic and genomic analyses

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L., 2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) florets were emasculated and pollinated using two apomictic wheatgrass [Elymus rectisetus (Nees in Lehm.) A. Love & Connor, 2n = 6x = 42, SSYYWW] accessions, one of which produces 2n pollen. A 2n = 42 (B_II) hybrid and four 2n = 63 (B _III) hybrids were obtained. The spike morphology of the B _II hybrid was intermediate to that of its parents. The pollen mother cells (PMCs) of this hybrid contained on average 38.361 and 1.62 II, which was consistent with its disparate genome composition (ABDSYW). Its pollen failed to stain and no BC₁ progeny was obtained. The B _III hybrids (reduced egg fertilized with unreduced sperm) were grasslike and had a full complement of E. rectisetus chromosomes, the synapsis of which was slightly impaired by wheat haplome and/or cytoplasm. Their PMCs contained on average 16.30 II, 25.72 I, and 1.54 multivalents (III plus IV). Pollen stainability in these hybrids was low (<1%), and when they were used as females, one 54- and 60-chromosome BC₁ were obtained. A mean of 13.25 II was observed in PMCs of the 54-chromosome BC₁ and pollen stainability was 10%. Pollen stainability in the 60-chromosome BC₁ was only 5%. The use of 2n-pollen-producing E. rectisetus accession accelerated hybrid and BC₁ formation and may accelerate the ultimate transfer of apomixis to wheat.