Chromosome-number Heterogeneity among Intra-antherial PMCs of Saccharum spontaneum L

Abstract

In a certain clone of S. spontaneum L. from Bhagalpur, about 80% of anthers were found to have n=27. In the remaining 20% anthers, PMCs with both n=27 and 24 were observed coincidently. The frequency of former was about 85% and of latter 15%. Few PMCs with n=27 did exhibit two laggard chromosomes at anaphase-I. It is proposed that n=24 condition was derived from n=27 due to Robertsonian translocations in the basic number 9, to be followed by triploidy of 9 as well as of 8 forms.