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Interspecific hybridization in wild Cicer sp.
Author(s) -
Abbo S.,
Mesghenna Y. T.,
Van Oss H.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
plant breeding
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1439-0523
pISSN - 0179-9541
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0523.2010.01838.x
Subject(s) - biology , perennial plant , interspecific competition , backcrossing , pollen , interspecific hybridization , botany , fertility , chromosome pairing , sterility , agronomy , meiosis , hybrid , population , genetics , demography , sociology , gene
With 2 figures and 5 tablesAbstract Interspecific hybridization between closely related wild Cicer species was performed. The Cicer judaicum × C. pinnatifidum cross resulted in sterile F 1 ’s because of abnormal flowers. Backcrossing the F 1 plant with C. pinnatifidum pollen resulted in mostly sterile BC 1 F 1 plants. Similarly, poor fertility was observed among the C. bijugum × C. judaicum F 2 . The annual C. cuneatum × perennial C. canariense F 1 ’s was partially fertile with intermediate morphology. Meiotic chromosome pairing in the annual × perennial F 1 ’s was mostly normal, but pollen fertility was approximately 50%. These plants flowered profusely but produced only a meagre yield of viable F 2 seeds and many shrivelled seeds. Similar to the situation in other interspecific crosses, the fertility and vigour of the F 2 plants derived from the annual × perennial cross were lower compared with that of the F 1 , yet another demonstration of the complex crossing barriers prevalent in the genus Cicer . The implications of the above findings to chickpea breeding are discussed with emphasis on the actual value of distantly related wild relatives for chickpea improvement.