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GENETIC HISTORY AND GENERAL COMPARISONS OF TWO ALBINO MUTATIONS OF HELIANTHUS ANNUUS
Author(s) -
Wallace Raymond H.,
Habermann Helen M.
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1959.tb06998.x
Subject(s) - biology , mutant , helianthus annuus , chlorophyll , seedling , botany , helianthus , white (mutation) , xanthophyll , chlorophyll b , carotenoid , horticulture , genetics , sunflower , gene
W allace , R aymond H. (U. Connecticut, Storrs.), and H elen M. H abermann . Genetic history and general comparisons of two albino mutations of Helianthus annuus. Amer. Jour. Bot. 46(3) : 157‐162. Illus. 1959.—The genetic history of the progeny of a single ultrasonically‐treated seedling of Helianthus annuus L. has been summarized for the 6 generations for which quantitative data are available. A yellow mutation was found in the F 2 generation and later in the F 5 , a second, white mutation occurred. Both mutants have been grown to maturity by grafting them onto normal green host plants and they have set viable seeds. Both pigment‐deficient conditions are inherited as single recessive factors. These albino strains form chlorophyll during their seedling stages if they are grown at low light intensities. Chlorophyll is destroyed, however, under bright illumination and, once bleached, the capacity for chlorophyll formation appears to be lost. The yellow mutant contains xanthophyll but no traces of carotene have been found. In the white mutant, neither carotene nor xanthophyll have been detected. Flower color in the yellow mutant is normal while the flowers of the white mutant have no apparent pigmentation. The growth pattern of grafted yellow mutants is normal, save for a stiffer and woodier condition and a greater resistance to wilting. These characteristics have also been observed in grafted white mutants. In addition, there is a pronounced reduction in leaf size in the white mutant.