RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ANEUPLOIDY, GERMINATION RATE AND SEED SHRIVELLING IN 6X-TRITICALES

Abstract

In this study, relationships among chromosome numbers, germination percentage and seed characters in six triticale genotypes were determined. Genotypes were selected from among 32 triticale cultivars. The genotypes were divided into two groups based on their test weight, and then each genotype was divided into two sub-group by its seed appearance (shriveling or plump). Frequency of aneuploidy in plump and shriveled seeds of the low test weight genotypes were 6.81% and 26.81%; while were 1.08% and 15.89 % in the high test weight genotypes. There was a significant relationship between shrivelling and chromosome number, while there was no or only weak relationship between test weight and aneuploidy. Among the aneuploid chromosome classes, 2n=41 was the largest and hyperplods were not found in all genotypes examined. Negative effect of seed characters was found in germination percentage and germination percentage in shriveled seeds were significantly lower than that of the plum groups. Germination percentage was higher in high test weight genotypes (87.34 %) than in low test weight genotypes (80.21 %). However, correlation between germination percentage and test weight was not significant.