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Colchicine induced polyploids in ryegrass

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Abstract

Studies on induction, isolation and stabilization of tetraploids in Lolium perenne L. (2n=14) are reported. These investigations revealed that:

  1. 1.

    The different varieties of ryegrass responded differentially to colchicine treatment.

  2. 2.

    Colchicine was mutagenic in addition to doubling chromosome number in ryegrass.

  3. 3.

    A high incidence of mixoploidy was obtained following colchicine treatment, which interfered with the fertility of the C0 tetraploids. The tillers, selected cytologically for tetraploid purity, had a higher seed set and 100-grain weight than either the mother plant or the diploid variety.

  4. 4.

    In the C1 generation, obtained from the interpollination of pure tetraploid tillers, about 92 per cent plants were tetraploid (2n=28), 7 per cent aneuploid (2n=25, 26,27) and less than one per cent diploid.

  5. 5.

    There was no significant difference in the percentage recovery of the tetraploids from small and large seeds in the C1 generation.

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  1. Plant Breeding Department, Agricultural Institute, Oak Park, Carlow, Republic of Ireland

    B. S. Ahloowalia

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  1. B. S. Ahloowalia
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Ahloowalia, B.S. Colchicine induced polyploids in ryegrass. Euphytica 16, 49–60 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034098

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