Karyotypes of Elymus scabrifolius (Poaceae: Triticeae) from South America studied by banding techniques and in situ hybridization.

Karyotypes of 4 accessions of Elymus scabrifolius (2n = 4x = 28) were investigated by Giemsa C- and N-banding, GAA-banding (one accession), AgNO3-staining and in situ hybridization with the rDNA probe pTa71. Two additional accessions were studied in less detail. The chromosomes were large (9-14 microns). The complements included 11 pairs of metacentrics, one with conspicuous satellites on the short arms, and 3 pairs of submetacentrics. Two of 4 accessions from Eastern Argentina and Uruguay had minute or small satellites on a submetacentric pair. No such satellites were observed in the other two accessions. In two accessions from the Cordoba province, a non-homologous submetacentric pair had very long satellites. AgNO3-staining established the presence of 4 nucleoli, two larger and two small ones, in 5 accessions. The C-banding patterns comprised from one to 12 conspicuous bands per chromosome at no preferential positions. The amount of constitutive heterochromatin (19-21%) was the highest hitherto established in the Triticeae. Similarities in banding patterns and chromosome morphology identified homologous and discriminated between non-homologous chromosomes within and, except for two chromosomes, between plants. Heteromorphic chromosome pairs were identified in satellite-carrying chromosomes only. N-banding produced conspicuous bands overall at the same positions as C-banding. GAA-banding patterns were similar to N-banding patterns. The rDNA probe hybridized to chromosome segments at nucleolar constrictions only. The production of C- and N-banding patterns in both genomes of E. scabrifolius suggests the presence of two H genomes and the absence of the pivotal St genome of Elymus. On account of the uncertain identity of one genome, and the overall similar gross morphology of E. scabrifolius and other tetraploid South American species referred to Elymus, E. scabrifolius is retained in Elymus.

Effect of rye A and B chromosomes on meiotic association of Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum (4x) chromosomes in intergeneric hybrids.

Chromosome association at metaphase I was studied in PMCs of eight H. marinum ssp. gussoneanum (4x) x rye hybrids. Differences in the levels of association separated six hybrids with 2n = 23 including 14 Hordeum, 7 rye A and 2 rye B chromosomes into two groups of three plants each, a "low association" group with means of 0.03III + 4.43II (1.55 rings + 2.88 rods) + 5.10I and 6.03 chiasmata/cell, and a "high association" group with means of 0.01IV + 0.03III + 6.40II (3.55 rings + 2.85 rods) + 1.13I and 10.04 chiasmata/cell. The low number of plants studied prevents a safe estimate of the number of genes involved, but the significant difference between groups suggests the presence in the rye genome of two major genes, or two genotypes, for control of meiotic chromosome association. In two additional hybrids with 2n = 25, one of each above-mentioned group, the presence of two extra rye B chromosomes raised chiasma frequencies by ca 1.5, indicating a promoting effect on chromosome association. The level of Hordeum chromosome association in the "high association" group and the observation of up to 7 Hordeum ring bivalents in some cells agree with an autoploid origin of H. marinum ssp. gussoneanum (4x). Hordeum and rye chromosomes formed a few heterogenomic bi- and trivalents. Most rye A chromosomes formed univalents, but 2.7% were included in associations. Rye B chromosomes generally formed rod bivalents. The use of genome analysis in its traditional sense is discussed.