Variation patterns of parthenogenetic plants derived from ?unreduced? embryo-sacs of Solanum tuberosum subspecies andigena (Juz. et Buk.) Hawkes

Abstract

Parthenogenetic seed induction was performed on one clone of Solanum tuberosum subspecies andigena (2n=4x=48) using S. phureja (2n=2x=24) marker inducer clones. The parthenogenetic population when grown was found to contain both diploid and tetraploid individuals presumably arising from reduced and unreduced gametes, respectively. Variation patterns in the diploid and tetraploid sub-populations, as well as a population obtained by selfing the parental clone, were compared to try and elucidate the origin of the tetraploid parthenotes. From the results of this one generation it appeared that the tetraploid parthenogenetic plants had been produced by a mechanism equivalent to second division restitution (SDR).