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RECIPROCAL DIFFERENCES IN INTRASPECIFIC CROSSES OF TOBACCO RESULT FROM EMBRYO DEATH
Author(s) -
Contolini Carol S.,
Hughes Karen Woodbury
Publication year - 1989
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.1537-2197.1989.tb11278.x
Subject(s) - ovule , biology , endosperm , embryo , embryo rescue , ploidy , reciprocal cross , pollen tube , botany , pollen , nicotiana tabacum , intraspecific competition , pollination , genetics , hybrid , zoology , gene
Tetraploid tobacco plants ( Nicotiana tabacum ) derived from cultured cell lines (TC) are partially cross‐incompatible with their diploid progenitors (C). C × TC crosses (TC‐derived tetraploids as the pollen parent) yield only 2% viable seed. The remaining seeds are normal size but lack an embryo (apoembryonic seeds). Apoembryonic seeds do not occur in the reciprocal TC × C crosses. Sections of ovules from C × TC crosses revealed that an embryo formed but that embryo growth slowed at 5 days postpollination and that by the 12th day following pollination, the embryo had disappeared although the ovule continued to develop. Endosperm degeneration occurred concurrently with embryo death. Culturing ovules from C × TC crosses has increased the yield of F 1 plants from 2% to as much as 25% indicating that embryo rescue is possible. Surviving F 1 plants from TC × C crosses have close to triploid chromosome numbers and are fertile.