Chromosome cytology of variegated and anthocyaninless varieties of Rhoeo Spgthacea (Swartz) Stearn

Pollen mother cells from each of eleven Rhoeo specimen plants housed in the Ball State University greenhouse were analyzed for meiotic chromosome behavior and were found to display multiple reciprocal translocations characteristic of the species. Seven of the eleven plants are classified as Rhoeo soathacea var. variegata, while the remaining four plants are classified as Rhoeo spathacea var. concolor. Using the acetocarmine squash technique, 5362 pollen mother cells from the eleven Rhoeo specimen plants were examined and photomicrographs of representative pollen mother cells were used to document data reported. Among the types of aberrant chromosome behavior resulting from multiple reciprocal translocations in the twelve chromosomes of Rhoeo were ring and chain formation at diakinesis, alternate versus adjacent chromosome alignment at metaphase I, atypical segregation patterns at anaphase I and the presence of micronuclei or chromosomes excluded from the daughter nuclei at telophase I. Many prophase I/metaphase I chromosome configurations and a number of anaphase I segregation patterns not previously reported in the literature were observed in this study. As a consequence of aberrant chromosome behavior many of the pollen grains formed during meiosis were defective and non-viable.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306Thesis (M.S.)--Ball State University, 1975