Haploid pearl millet pollen from near-tetraploid interspecific Pennisetum hybrids
- Univ. of Georgia Coastal Plain Experimental Station, Tifton (USA)
To determine the potential for germplasm exchange, interspecific hybrids form a cross between a pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. {times} Pennisetum purpureum Schum. amphiploid crossed with a P. glaucum {times} Pennisetum squamulatum Fesen. interspecific hybrid were backcrossed four times to tetraploid pearl millet. The objective of this research was to determine the chromosomal characteristics of progeny obtained from pollinating both cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterile diploid (2n=14) and tetraploid (2n=28) pearl millet with near-tetraploid (2n=26 to 32) BC{sub 4} derivatives involving P. glaucum, P. purpureum, and P. squamulatum. Forty-five BC{sub 4} plants, 15 of which had chromosome numbers ranging from 26 to 32, were used to pollinate cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterile diploid and tetraploid pearl millet, giving rise to 10 diploid and 70 near-tetraploid BC{sub 5} progeny, respectively. The recovery of diploid progeny suggest monoploid pollen was produced BC{sub 4} plants. All offspring expressed phenotypic traits of the male parent. Male fertility was restored completely in two diploid hybrids and restored partially in six near-tetraploid hybrids, probably because of the transfer of P. purpureum and/or P. squamulatum chromatin. Nine BC{sub 5} diploid offspring had 14 A and/or A{prime} genome chromosomes, which paired as seven bivalents at metaphase I. The near tetraploid BC{sub 5} offspring had from 27 to 30 chromosomes. Chromosome numbers observed in the young microspores of the BC{sub 4} plants ranges from n=1 to n=16. These results show that monoploid pollen can be produced from tetraploid or hexaploid hybrids and used for transferring gene(s) from wild relatives into pearl millet.
- OSTI ID:
- 6896767
- Journal Information:
- Crop Science; (USA), Vol. 30:2; ISSN 0011-183X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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