Abstract
Somaclonal variant plants may be of use in broadening the germplasm base of plant species and providing useful stocks for cytogenetic investigations. This study was conducted to compare morphologic, cytogenetic and enzymatic characteristics of 21 R1 (initial regenerate) bluestem,Bothriochloa sp., plants, visibly identified in a field-grown population of 522 plants as probable variants, with their respective R0 (explant donor) progenitor. An R2 seedling population was grown to ascertain the transmission of the variant R1 phenotypes. All R1 plants differed from their respective R0 progenitors in one or more morphological characters. Foliage colour was the most pronounced difference in most cases. Four of the plants, three of which were dwarfed, produced no inflorescences. The R1 plants tended to be shorter than R0 progenitors and had corresponding decreases in lengths on inflorescences and lowest racemes. All R1 plants of accessions 8911C and 8793 had an increase in chromosome number from2n=4x=40 to2n=5x=50. Three dwarfed R1 plants, derived from accession 8873B, were aneuploids, two having2n=48 chromosomes and the third being a probable mixoploid with 55–58 chromosomes. Other plants of accession 8873B had the R0 chromosome number. Fertility, as estimated by pollen stainability and seed set, generally was reduced in R1 plants relative to the R0. This reduction was not drastic, however, with all flowering plants having 45% or higher seed set. Apomixis apparently maintained fertility in all R1 plants, including those with a pentaploid chromosome number. All R1 plants differed from their respective R0 plants in peroxidase and esterase banding patterns. All R1 plants of accessions 8911C, and 8793, respectively, had identical peroxidase and esterase bands. For both enzyme systems two banding patterns were present in R1 plants of accession 8873B, with 12 of 13 plants exhibiting common patterns. Examination of R2 progeny plants confirmed the genetic transmission of the variant phenotypes and, by virtue of uniformity, indicated apomictic reproduction in the R1 plants. The results demonstrate the production of potentially useful genetic and cytogenetic variant plants via tissue culture in these apomictic species.
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Taliaferro, C.M., Dabo, S.M., Mitchell, E.D. et al. Morphologic, cytogenetic, and enzymatic variation in tissue culture regenerated plants of apomictic old-world bluestem grasses (Bothriochloa sp.). Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 19, 257–266 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00043352
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00043352