Abstract
In crossing diploid male-sterile beets (18 chromosomes) with a tetraploid pollinator (36 chromosomes) it was established that of 532 individuals from this cross 8.4% were diploid, 83.9% triploid and 7.7% tetraploid.
The most reasonable explanation was that the diploid male-sterile plants had given a number of unreduced egg cells. This could be put to a test by crossing diploid male-sterile plants with normal diploids. The average number of triploids found by chromosome counts was 2.4%; in a normal diploid no triploids were found.
The type of cytoplasm associated with the male-sterility may lead to abnormal egg cells.
Trirave (Triplex) with 84% of triploids, represents an enormous advance over normal polyploid types, which very commonly have no more than 40 per cent triploids and very rarely have more than 50 per cent.
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References
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Mochizuki, A. and Sueoka, N., Genetic studies on the number of plastid in stomata. 1. Effects of autopolyploidy in sugar beets. Cytologia 20 (1955): 358–366.
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Bush Johnsons Limited and D.J. van der Have n.v.
Paper read on the XXIInd Winter Meeting of the Institut International de Recherches Betteravières on February 24th, 1959.
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Ellerton, S., Hendriksen, A.J.T. Note on the probable cause of the occurrence of tetraploid plants in commercial triploid varieties of sugar beet. Euphytica 8, 99–103 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00022426
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00022426