Karyotype analysis of Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertner

Abstract

In the present study, the karyotypes of six populations of Agropyron cristatum distributed from Northern Europe to Southwest Asia are reported. Their chromosome numbers were 14, 28 or 42. The karyotypcial formulae are suggested as follows: Sweden population (PI 297869), 2n = 2x = 14 = 14m; Bulgaria population (PI 636511), 2n = 2x = 14 = 8m + 6sm; Iran population (PI 401074) 2n = 4x = 28 = 10m + 18sm; Russian Federation population (PI 439948) 2n = 4x = 28 = 20m + 8sm, Russian Federation population (PI 564878), 2n = 4x = 28 = 18m + 10sm; and Iran population (PI 401080), 2n = 6x = 42 = 20m + 22sm. The relative length of the longest chromosome was 8.40 in Bulgaria population, but 4.57 in Iran population. These results indicated that discrepancies on chromosome structure and numbers existed among these populations. Sweden population is placed in 1A, and the other populations are placed in 2A for karyotype symmetry.