Comparative Karyotype Analysis in Five Strains of Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott (Araceae) in Thailand

Abstract

Cytogenetical studies were carried out on Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott and five different karyotypes were observed, karyotype formula of each karyotype were 2n=28=L₂₄^m+M₄^sm, 2n=28=L₁₄^m+L₂^sm+M₆^m+M₆^sm, 2n=28=L₂₂^m+L₆^sm, 2n=28=L₁₈^m+M₄^m+M₂^sm+S₂^sm+S₂^sm and 2n=28=L₈^m+L₄^sm+M₄^m+M₁₀^sm+S₂^m. The karyotype of five strains had same chromosome number of 2n=28 and fundamental number (NF)=56. Therefore, all of the five strains had a symmetrical karyotype that consisted of metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. The differences among karyotypes were caused by number of metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. The chromosome number of C. esculenta had been reported, but this is the first report of karyotype variation among strains.