Diploidization and Genetic Variation in Anther Cultured Populations of Lolium perenne L

Abstract

Four hundred and six anther culture developed progeny plants of eight different families of Lolium perenne L. were evaluated for their ploidy level, genetic variation at isozyme loci and performance at field level. Seventy six percent of the total progeny plants were found to be diploids, (2n=14) but the rate of diploidization varied from family to family. The segregations of eight isozyme loci among the progeny families and their level of heterozygosity were assessed. The heterozygosity was found to be low for all, only one family segregated at four isozyme loci and the rest were even lower. The field performance of the artificial homozygous naturally out-breeding species was evaluated and none could survive to the extreme environmental conditions over the winter, however they grew under controlled conditions.