Chiasma variation and control in pollen mother cells and embryo-sac mother cells of rye

Abstract

SUMMARY Mean chiasma frequencies and the amounts of between-bivalent chiasma variation were computed for pollen mother cells (p.m.c.) and embryo-sac mother cells (e.m.c.) of five distinct inbred rye lines. Despite the considerable differences for both these metrics shown by the different lines, very little variation was seen between p.m.c. and e.m.c. belonging to the same lines. It is concluded that chiasma formation in p.m.c. and e.m.c. of rye is governed and regulated by a single controlling system of genes and that variation in this genetic system is expressed identically in the two sexes.