Cytotaxonomic

Background
 WHEAT
Triticum aestivum

• Family = Gramineae
• Tribe = Triticeae (Hordeae) wheats, rye, barley
• Wheats, ryes, along with genera: Aegilops, Agropyron, Eremopyron and
Haynaldia = subtribe Triticinae
• Basic genome x = 7
• Diploid 2n = 2x = 14
• Tetraploid 2n = 4x = 28
• Hexaploid 2n = 6x = 42
 Cytological studies reveal:

• Wild diploid species are monophyletic in origin

• They presumably diverged from each other
• This divergence reflected from morphological features of seed dispersal
units, ecological requirements and geographical distribution
• Diploids have distinct genome
• Different chromosomes of genomes show little affinity for pairing
• Suppression of pairing of homoeologous chromosomes
• Gene 5b located on long arm of chromosome 5 of B genome in hexaploid
L

wheat
• If absent homoeologous chromosomes pair and form multivalents.
A B D
1 ∫∫ ∫∫ ∫∫
2 ∫∫ ∫∫ ∫∫
3 ∫∫ ∫∫ ∫∫
4 ∫∫ ∫∫ ∫∫
5 ∫∫ ∫∫ ∫∫
6 ∫∫ ∫∫ ∫∫
7 ∫∫ ∫∫ ∫∫
• Diploidizing mechanism critical role in evolution of polyploid wheat
• Ensures uniform segregation of genetic material
• Complete homologous chromosome pair
• High fertility
• Genetic stability
• Genes diverted to new functions
• Permanent Heterosis observed between homoeoalleles
 Three groups of Polyploids

• Group A = T. monococcum
It comprise of tetraploids T. turgidum (AABB), T. timopheevii (AAGG)
and hexaploid T. aestivum (AABBDD)
• Group D = T. tauschii (Ae. squarrosa)
• Group Cu = T. umbellulatum (Ae. umbellulata)
• Hybrids between tetraploids show high sterility
• B-genome is non-homologous with G-genome
• Hexaploid wheat contains A & B genomes of T. Turgidum that might have
crossed with some diploid species with D genome.
• The confirmed donor is T. tauschii
• T. tauschii found in the fields of Iran and Armenia, hybridize with tetraploids
producing fertile hexaploids
• But no hybrids with T. timopheevii.
 Genome B!........... Where from?

• T. speltoides (genome S)
• Cytogenetic data indicated it gave rise to G genome of T. timopheevii
• Incomplete homology between S and G genome……………..G genome
undergone modification
• B from G of wild timopheevii or long lost AASS tetraploid
• B and G modified from S genome
• T. speltoides is in contact with wild T. monococcum in eastern Turkey,
Northwestern Iraq and Iran.
• Populations co-exist with timopheevii and turgidum
• Wild T. turgidum var. dicoccoides is northestern Israel, northwestern Jordan
and southern Syria.
 COTTON
Gossypium hirsutum

• 30 diploid (2n = 26) and 4 tetraploids (2n = 52)

• Diploids are divided into 6 groups based on cytological affinity
• The new world tetraploids are natural amphidiploids
• A genomes comes from G. herbaceum, D genome from G. raimondii
• Two theories: Ancient origin with three proposals and recent origin theory
• It is believed that progenitors of G. hirsutum and G. barbadense involve
different D genome species.
Group Genome Origin

1 A G. herbaceum in savanna vegetation of southern Africa and G. arboreum

only form cultivation, true spinnable lint
2 B Three species have allopatric distributions in southern & northern Africa
and in the Cape Verde Islands.
3 C Seven Australian species

4 D 11 species Mexican but distributed in Arizona, USA, Peru and Galapagos

Islands.
5 E 4 species range from eastern Africa to Pakistan

6 F Single species found in eastern Africa