Meiotic studies of some Aegilops (Poaceae) species and populations in Iran

Abstract

Thirteen populations of three Aegilops (Poaceae) species were analysed for meiotic characters including chiasma frequency and distribution, as well as chromosomal association and segregation. Populations of A. triuncialis and A. cylindrica possessed n= 14 chromosome number (tetraploid) while populations of A. umbellulata possessed n = 7 (diploid). Tetraploid species showed diplontic behavior and formed bivalents only. Cluster analysis of meiotic data showed distinctness of the species, although variations were observed in the chiasma frequency and distribution among different populations of each species. Cytomixis and chromosome elimination led to ancuploid and unreduced pollen mother cell formation in the species studied.