A bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) × cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare) hybrid with homoeologous chromosome pairing

Abstract

Triticum aestivum 'Chinese Spring' mutant ph1b lacking the major wheat homoeologous pairing prevention gene was pollinated with Hordeum vulgare line 'Tuleen 346,' a triple interchange homozygote with all chromosomes distinct from one another. Two wheat-like hybrids, one with 28 and one with 31 chromosomes, were produced. Homoeologous chromosome pairing occurred in the hybrids, but no evidence of interspecific chromosome pairing was observed. Both hybrids were sterile, but pollination of the 28-chromosome hybrid with 'Chinese Spring' pollen gave a few seeds. Within the F1 hybrids, chromosome numbers varied slightly, especially among pollen mother cells, and barley showed partial dominance of nucleolus organizer regions in somatic cells. The 31-chromosome hybrid was awned possibly indicating extra dosage of a homoeologous group-2 chromosome.Key words: wheat, barley, hybrid, homoeologous pairing.