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From these cytogenetic findings, it may be inferred that the chromosomal difference between Type III and Type IV heterozygous erect-type mutants comes from the fact that the latter lacks one chromosome which the former possesses. Therefore, the loss of one chromosome, which carries the gene or genes for the development of the straw thickness and leaf-width, may be the main cause of the occurrence of the thin-short straws and narrow leaves. The erect-type characters of the spikes, straws and leaves might be mainly brought by isochromosome formation, which carries an erect-type gene (ert) or genes in a double dose. The distinctive diminution of seed garmination rate and seed fertility of this type mutants might be caused by the physiological weakness of the plants due to the loss of one chromosome and duplication of an arm of a chromosome.

Abnormal segregation ratio quasi-normal : quasi-III. er. het. : III. er. hom. : IV. er. het. : IV. er. hom. : lax-eared 1 : 5.4 : 2.5 : 0 : 0.6 : 0 can be explained by the competition in fertilization of male gametes among 21, 20 + 1 iso.,19+1 iso. and 21 chromosome gametes, and some degree of zygotic elimination of the homozygotes. When the gametes with 21, 20 + 1 iso., 19+1 iso. and 20 chromosomes are formed in the ratio 0.2 : 1 : 0.2 : 1 respectively, and the actual fertilizing capacity ratio of these three kinds of male gametes are 15 : 8 : 1 : 1 respectively, the zygotes with 42 (quasi-normal), 41 + 1 iso. (quasi-III. er. het.), 40+2 iso. (III. er. hom.), 40+1 iso.-(IV. er. het.), 39+2 iso.-(IV. er. hom.) and 41-chromosome (1ax-eared) may be produced in the ratio 3 : 16.6 : 8 : 12.2 : 2.6 : 15=1 : 5.5 : 2.7 : 4.1: 0.9 : 5 respectively, besides very few 39 + 1 iso., 38 +2 iso. and 40 chromosome zygotes. This ratio closely coincides with the actually obtained ratio 1 : 5.4 : 2.5 : 4 : 0.6 : 5, if some degree or zygotic elimination of Type IV homozygotes are expected. These explanations, however, involves some difficult points and it must be checked further on the results of the crossing experiments between mutants and normal plants.

Table 2. Chromosome associations at MI in PMC's of erect-type mutants

Literature Cited

GUSTAFSSON, A. 1947. Mutation in agricultural plants. Hereditas 33 : 1-100.

HAGBERG, A. 1958. Cytogenetik einiger Gerstenmutanten. Der Zuchter 28 : 32-36.

UCHIKAWA, I. 1960. Genetic and cytological studies of X-induced mutants in common wheat. I. On speltoid, compactoid, lax-eared, short-strawed, dense-eared and bearded mutants. Mem. Ehime Univ., Sect. II. Ser. B. 4 : 1-52.

UCHIKAWA, I. 1962. Genetic and cytological studies of X-induced mutants in common wheat. III. Further studies on dense-eared mutants. Ibid. 4 : 365-387

UCHIKAWA, I. 1966. Genetic and cytological studies of X-induced mutants in common wheat. VII. On erect-type mutants. Ibid. 5 : 1-19.

(Received Jan. 8, 1968)



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