CYTOGENETIC STUDIES OF ALLOTETRAPLOID HYBRIDS OF MAIZE AND PERENNIAL TEOSINTE

Abstract

Shaver, Donald L. (Brookhaven Natl. Lab., Upton, New York.) Cytogenetic studies of allotetraploid hybrids of maize and perennial teosinte. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(4): 348–354. Illus. 1962.—Euchlaena perennis (4n), “perennial teosinte,” was less fertile when pollinated with 4n Zea mays than when selfed. Cross fertility between the 2 genera was influenced by the particular maize stock involved. Chromosome numbers varied from 36 to 43 in a population of 4n maize maintained by interpollination without regard to chromosome number. In the 4n intergeneric hybrid, nearly every chromosome number from 29 to 44 was found. The expression of the perennial growth habit varied with the proportion of perennial teosinte germ plasm present. Triploid hybrids with 2 perennial teosinte genomes and 1 maize genome were usually perennial. Tetraploid hybrids having 2 genomes of each parent were usually not fully perennial. Tetraploid hybrids with only 1 perennial teosinte genome had no perennial tendency but had a strong tendency to tiller. As compared with autotetraploids of maize having the same genetic markers, intergeneric hybrids showed a highly significant degree of preferential segregation for each of the 12 marker genes studied. In the opinion of the author, these data may represent the best available measure of the relationship of maize to teosinte, and are considered to support the proposal of Reeves and Mangelsdorf that maize and teosinte are congeneric.