Cytomorphological Analysis of F₁ Hybrids between Cajanus cajan (Linn.) Millsp. and Atylosia cajanifolia Haines

Abstract

Crosses between Atylosia cajanifolia and two cultivars of Cajanus cajan (pigeonpea) became successful only when the former was used as the male parent. These yielded a number of F₁ plants whose hybridity could be established through detailed cytomorphological analysis. The hybrids showed intermediate characters between the two parents with predominance of A. cajanifolia in those of flower, pod and seed. Chromosomal analysis of the hybrids showed evidence of heteromorphism and cryptic structural alterations in certain bivalents that might one have been responsible for the evolution of the cultivated pigeonpea from its wild relatives.