Contribution to cytotaxonomy of Silene: chromosome pairing and unreduced pollen grain formation in sec. Sclerocalycinae

Meiotic studies of ploidy level, chromosome paring and chiasma frequency were performed on 24 populations of nine Silene species belonging to the section Sclerocalycinae growing in Iran. The species studied are: 1- Silene bupleuroides L., 2- S. eremitica Boiss., 3- S. stapfii Melzh., 4- S. shahrudensis Rech. (two populations), 5- S. peduncularis Boiss. (two populations), 6- S. avromana Boiss. (three populations), 7- S. caesarea Boiss. (seven populations), 8- S. chlorifolia SM. , 9- S. swertiifolia Boiss. (six populations). The species studied showed 2n = 2x = 24. The chromosome numbers of all species are reported here for the first time. The species and populations studied differed significantly in chiasma frequency and chromosomes pairing indicating partly their genetic differences. When the species were subjected to cluster analysis based on meiotic characters almost the populations of each species were grouped together indicating their distinctness. Meiotic abnormalities including multipolar cell formation formed unreduced pollen grains in some of the species while B-chromosomes occurred in some others

RAPD analysis of eleven iranian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars

RAPD markers variations were studied in eleven pomegranate cultivars. Fifteen RAPD primers used out of which 13 primers could produce bands. In total 173 bands were produced out of which 73 bands were common in all the cultivars while 6 bands were specific, which may be used in the cultivars discrimination. Primers OPB12 and OPA13 produced the highest number of polymorphic bands (12 bands out of 16=0.75% and 11 bands out of 25=0.44), while primers OPR15 and OPA15 produced the least number of polymorphic bands (2 out of 12=0.16%). Different similarity coefficients determined among the cultivars studied, showed the highest value of similarity between cultivars Khatooni and Anbari as well as between Khatooni and Atabaki (r=0.94) while the lowest value of similarity occurred between the cultivars Sefid and Bihaste as well as Sefid and Khatooni (r = 0.62). Different clustering methods showed distinctness of the olive cultivars studied

Cytogenetic distinctiveness of sixty-six tetraploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars based on meiotic data

Acytogenetic study was performed on 66 tetraploid cotton cultivars (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and their hybrids. The cultivars studied differed significantly in their chiasma frequency and distribution as well as chromosome pairing indicating their genetic differences. Adjacent and alternate quadrivalents were formed in most of the cultivars. A-A or D-D heterozygote translocations occurred in most of the cultivars, while A-D (V-type) heterozygote translocations occurred in the cultivars Sahel, Oltan X Sahel and Modified. The cultivars B557, Modified, Sahel and Tashkand showed the occurrence of chromosome migration and aneuploid meiocytes. B-chromosomes occurred in some of the cultivars. Clustering of the cultivars showed distinctness of some of the parental genotypes and their hybrids. The Cytogenetic differences observed if combined with morpho- -agronomic characters may be used in cotton breeding

Genetic and morphological variations induced by tissue culture in tetraploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Three parental cotton cultivars including Bakhtegan, Zeta-2 and their hybrid Bakhtegan × Zeta-2 were used in tissue culture and the genetic and morphological diversity of the parental genotypes and the regenerated plants of different sub-cultures were studied. The seeds excised from three different cotton cultivars were cultured in MS free hormones, using the single nodes from seedlings as explants. Thirty random primers were used for molecular studies. The regenerated plants differed significantly in morphological characters like the length of shoots and number of leaves and differed in the number of RAPD loci identified as well as degree of polymorphic bands. Different sub-cultures produced different level of genetic diversity in the cultivars studied. With an increase in the time period of sub-cultures an in crease in the amount of genetic variation occurred in the regenerated plants of the tree cotton cultivars studied

RAPD analysis of somadonal variation in banana (Musa acuminate L.) cultivar Valery

Thirty decamer RAPD primers were used to study somaclonal variation among the parental plants as well as regenerated plants of the first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth sub-cultures. Eighteen out of thirty primers produced 289 bands in all the genotypes studied. Hundred and forty-two bands (48.95%) were common in the parental genotype and the regenerated plants while 147 bands were polymorph (51.40%). Among the primers used, OPI-07 produced the highest number of bands (24) while primers OPH-16 produced the lowest number (5). In total 74 specific bands were observed in the parental genotype and the regenerated plants of the sub-cultures. The presence of specific band/loci in the parental plants and loss of it in the regenerated plants of different sub-cultures indicates the loss of certain loci during tissue culture due to somaclonal variation. Such specific loci are of high importance in the genetic identification of the genotypes or somaclones from each other. Grouping of the parental cultivar and their sub-cultures regenerated plants indicate the genetic distinctness of the genotypes studied as they are placed in different clusters/groups far from each other. It also seems that the genetic variations induced in the regenerated plants increase with the time-period of the sub-culture

Cytology in Silene: from population diversity to section classification

Cytological studies were performed in 25 populations of six Silene species of the sections Inflatae Boiss., and Auriculatae Boiss., S. odontopetala Fenzi, S. vulgaris (Moench) Garcke, S. pungens Boiss., S. aucheriana Boiss., S. sisianica Boiss. & Buhse, and S. pseudaucheriana Melzh., showing 2n = 2x = 24 and 48. These are the first chromosome number reports for all six species. Among twelve populations of S. aucheriana, two populations had 2n=4x= 48 chromosome number, while the others had 2n=2x=24. ANOVA revealed significant chromosomal differences among S. aucheriana, S. odontopetala and S. vulgaris. ANOVA test also showed significant differences among sections, indicating the occurrence of significant quantitative changes in chromosome size during the species diversification. Meiotic analysis of S. odontopetala and S. aucheriana populations showed mainly bivalents and univalents in the metaphase of meiosis I, although some quadrivalents were observed too. Significant differences were formed for all meiotic characteristics among the sections studied, indicating a change in the number of genes controlling chromosome pairing and also heterozygote translocations as one of the adaptive strategies during the species diversification in Silene

Population genetic structure and genetic diversity study in Lallemantia royleana (Benth.) Benth.: identification of potential gene pool in Iran

Lallemantia royleana (Benth.) Benth. (Family Lamiaceae), is one of the most popular medicinal plants in Iran. It is an herbaceous pant that is commonly known as “Lady mantle”. The vernacular name of Lallemantia royleana's seed is Balangu or Balangu Shirazi that is used as a source of medicine. Medicinal plants are very important from economic point of view in Iran and several large industries are focused on medicinal plants cultivation, extraction and export. Therefore, providing data on the biology of these plants is important for the country. Lallemantia royleana grows in different parts of Iran and forms several local populations. Genetic, morphological and biochemical divergence of geographical populations are well known in plant species. We have no report on population genetic structure, genetic fragmentation, local adaptation and gen flow of Lallemantia royleana populations in the country. Therefore, the present population genetics investigation was programmed to produce data on above said questions. Randomly collected plants of 7 geographical regions were studied by ISSR molecular markers. AMOVA and Hickory test revealed significant genetic differentiation among these populations. They showed isolation by distance phenomenon and therefore, gene flow occurred between close-by located populations. STRUCTURE analysis identified two potential gene pools for Lallemantia royleana in IRAN. Some degree of gene flow and genetic admixture was identified by population assignment test. These information can be used in hybridization and gene conservation of this medicinal plant in Iran

Further contribution to cytotaxonomy of the genus Silene L. (Sect. Auriculatae, Caryophyllaceae)

The present study reports the chromosome numbers of 18 Silene L. species subspecies and varieties from the sect. Auriculatae for the first time. S. commelinifolia var. isophylla, S. commelinifoilia var. ovatifolia, S. araratica, S. meyeri ssp. persica, S. nizvana, S. oligophylla, S. persica and S. rhynchocarpa showed 2n = 2x = 24 chromosome number, S. pseudoaucheriana,S. gynodioica, S. erysimifolia, S. guntensis, S. goniocaula, S. lucida S. microphylla showed 2n= 4x= 48 and S. hirticalyx had 2n=6x=72 chromosome number. The size of the chromosomes varied from 1.53 μm in Ahvan population of S. commelinifolia var. commelinifolia to 4.97 μm in S. oligophylla. The chromosomes were metacentric (m) and sub-metacentric (sm). The species studied differed significantly in total size of the chromosomes, size of the short arms and the long arms indicating the role of quantitative changes of chromosomes in species diversification. The Silene species differed in karyotype formulae and symmetry indicating qualitative changes in the chromosomes possibly due to the occurrence of structural changes. Different clustering and ordination methods showed karyotype distinctness of the species studied

Karyotypic study of some Iranian species and populations of Lotus L.

Akaryotypic study of 13 populations belonging to 7 Iranian Lotus species was performed for the first time. The study showed x = 6 and 7 are available in Iranian Lotus species; all taxa studied except L. corniculatus (4x) were diploid. The species studied varied in their karyotypic formulae and symmetry. They also differed significantly in their total chromatin length as well as size of long arms and short arms, indicating the occurrence of both structural and quantitative changes in their karyotypes during the species diversification. Clustering of the Lotus species based on karyotypic features partly supports their taxonomic treatment

Morphological and karyotype diversity in populations of four Silene species (Caryophyllaceae)

Karyotype and morphometric studies were performed on 14 and 24 Iranian populations of 4 Silene (Caryophyllaceae,Sect. Auriculatae) species. Phenetic study of 24 populations of S. commelinifolia, S. eremicana, S. lucida and S. nurensis from different locations of Iran revealed that a lot of morphological characters as basal and caulinal leaf shape, width and length, capsule shape and condition in calyx, epipetalus stamens to alternate ones, alar pedicel length, lateral pedicel length, epipetalus filament length to claw length and calyx gap length are of taxonomic importance. S. nurensis possessed a chromosome number 2n=2x=24, S. lucida and S. eremicana possessed a chromosome number 2n=4x=48, while S. commelinifolia var. commelinifolia and S. commelinifolia var. ovatifolia populations were diploid and tetraploid. The chromosomes were mainly metacentric or sub-metacentric and their size varied from 1.21 μm in S. nurensis to 3.96 μm in S. commelinifolia. The total size of the chromosomes differed significantly in short and long arm size, indicating the role of quantitative genomic changes in the Silene species diversification. The Silene species were placed in 1A and 1B classes of Stebbins karyotype symmetry. Presence of B chromosome is recorded for the first time for S. commelinifolia. Clustering and ordination methods showed karyotype distinctness in the investigated species