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HYBRIDS BETWEEN LOLIUM PERENNE L. AND FESTUCA PRATENSIS HUDS. I. CROSSING AND INCOMPATIBILITY
Author(s) -
GYMER P. T.,
WHITTINGTON W. J.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1973.tb02049.x
Subject(s) - biology , lolium perenne , festuca pratensis , hybrid , ploidy , lolium , festuca , poaceae , botany , pollen , backcrossing , genetics , gene
SUMMARY Natural hybrids between Lolium perenne and Festuca pratensis occur in old grassland; diploids and two types of triploids, festucoid and loloid, may occur. Attempts were made to produce similar hybrids experimentally, both by crossing in the glasshouse, and in mixed plots in the field. It was found very difficult to produce F 1 hybrids, except for the production of festucoid triploids by crossing diploid Lolium with tetraploid Festuca. No triploids were obtained from diploid‐diploid crosses, but there was evidence of unreduced gametes in the appearance of tetraploid progeny from diploid–tetraploid crosses within Lolium perenne. The hybrids were found to be nearly sterile, but attempts to backcross in the glasshouse yielded a few progeny, both from diploids and triploids. Lolium was a much more successful pollen parent than Festuca. The progeny from diploids were mostly diploid, but included a few triploids and aneuploids. Triploid hybrids produced a wide range of progeny, varying from fourteen to twenty‐eight chromosomes. The difficulty of crossing, and reciprocal differences in compatibility which occur are apparently due to seed incompatibility, probably controlled by the relationship between the genomes and the plasmon in the endosperm. It is concluded that the abundance of hybrids in natural populations must be explained ecologically.