Chromosomal Evolution in Fabaceae

Abstract

With a view to collect the germplasms of the pulses and their allies a survey of Fabaceous plants from Orissa state (India) was undertaken. Through a period of four years (1980-84) 152 species belonging to 60 genera were collected of which 118 species belonging to 57 genera were cytologically studied. While in majority of the species, earlier findings were confirmed, chromosome numbers in 16 species, 1 subspecies and 1 variety are recorded here for the first time and different chromosome numbers than those reported earlier are recorded for six species. In all the genera studied the basic chromosome numbers were found to range from x=6 to x=11 and maximum number of genera were found to possess x=11 with larger number of species at the diploid level. Karyotypic analysis in respect of 95 taxa belonging to 44 genera could be carried out during the present investigation. On the basis of a review of number of genera under different basic chromosome numbers, chromosomal evolution in the family has been envisaged.