Cytology of Spontaneous Chimaera of Lens culinaris

Abstract

A spontaneous chimaera of Lens culinaris var. L3991 with two triploid and one hexaploid branches was cytologically investigated. The meiotic behaviour of chromosomes in pollen mother cells of both triploid and hexaploid was abnormal. Pollen fertility study revealed that in hexaploid flowers about 87% pollen grains were sterile and in triploid ones the pollen sterility was nearly 100%. Open and artificial pollination of triploid flowers indicated total female sterility. Only a single pod could be obtained from hexaploid after self-pollination. Stomatal frequency ratio per unit area on the leaves in hexaploid and triploid branches was 2.2:3.7.