Tertiary trisomics in pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides Stapf & Hubb)

Abstract

Four tertiary trisomic plants are reported here, two of them (Nos. Tr11 and Tr13) from selfed progeny of a triploid Pearl millet and the other two (Nos. 3/12 and 16/7) from the progenies of radiation induced interchange heterozygotes. The extra chromosome in Tr13 and 3/12 was the nucleolus organizing chromosome. In No. 16/7 an extra chromosome enters into an association chromosomes were also involved. Meiotic behaviour in these four trisomics indicates that Tr11 and 3/12 are tertiary trisomics. It is suggested that two reciprocal translocations have occurred between two sets of chromosomes in the triploid parent and that syngamy has taken place in such a way that four interchange chromosomes and one non-interchange nucleolus organizing chromosome have come together in the offspring. The extra chromosome in No. 16/7 is an interchange chromosome which is homologous to one of the chromosomes of an interchange complex of six chromosomes.