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Results and discussion

First, the segregation for chromosomal constitution, fertility, and sterility in the hybrid progeny from a series of four crosses was examined starting with a cross of an euploid male-sterile plant to the aneuploids of group 5 chromosomes to determine if the putative new Ms gene was the same as Ms3 gene that is closely linked with centromere in the short-arm of chromosome 5A (Maan et al. 1987). The results are described below (Table1 ).

A cross of an euploid male-sterile plant to dDt 5A produced 20 fertile and 15 male-sterile F1's (a 1: 1 ratio; P=0.398), and a cross of a male-sterile F1 (2n=43; 20"+t1t''' 5A) to nulli 5A-tetra 5D produced 20 fertile and 19 male-sterile plants (a 1: 1 ratio; P=0.875), including 7 fertile and 7 male-sterile segregants with 19"+1"'+1' having maternal chromosome 5A and 11 fertile and 7 male-sterile plants with 19"+1'''+2t'5A having maternal telocentrics. Similarly, a cross of a male-sterile plant with 19"+1'''+2t'5A to CS produced 38 fertile and 43 sterile plants (a 1: 1 ratio; P=0.575), including 14 fertile and 18 sterile plants with 19"+1'''+1' and 15 fertile and 10 sterile plants with 20"+1'. These results indicated that the Ms gene was not located on chromosome 5A of the original euploid male-sterile plant used in this study . If Ms was located on chromosome 5A or was transferred to one of the 5A telocentics by recombination the expected ratios would be 3 fertile to 1 sterile plants, because the unpaired univalent chromosome with Ms should be transmitted through 25% of the female gametes (Sears 1954) but instead was transmitted to 50% of the progeny (Table 1).

The results from another cross of a male-sterile plant having 20"+t1t''' 5A to CS confirmed the above conclusion. This cross produced 16 fertile and 21 male-sterile plants (1:1 ratio; P=0.411), including 9 fertile and 8 sterile plants with 21" and 5 fertile and 13 sterile plants with 20"+t1t'''. These results indicated a more frequent occurrence of recombination between Ms and the centromere than was expected of Ms3 because of close linkage to the centromere on chromosome 5A (Maan et al, 1987). Therefore, the new Ms gene is not located on chromosome 5A and is not the same as Ms3.

Next, the segregation for chromosomal constitution, fertility, and sterility was observed in progeny from a series of five crosses starting with crosses of an euploid male-sterile plant to the aneuploids of group 4 chromosomes. This was to determine if the Ms gene in this study is the same gene as Ms2 located on the short-arm of chromosome 4D, 31.16 crossover units from the centromere (Liu and Deng 1986a, b; Deng and Huang 1988). The results are described below (Table 2).

A cross between a euploid male-sterile plant and nulli 4D-tetra 4A produced 12 fertile and 10 male-sterile tri 4A-mono 4D F1's (2n=43; 19"+ 1'''4A+1'4D) (Table 2). A cross of a tri 4A-mono 4D male-sterile (2n=19"+1''' +1'4D) F1 to dDt 4D produced 91 fertile plants in which maternal 4D was absent and 20 male-sterile plants in which maternal 4D was present (3:1 ratio; P=0.089). These results indicated that the new Ms gene was located on chromosome 4D. Of the 20 male-sterile plants, 15 had 20"+t1t''' and 5 had 19"+1''' +1t" or 20"+ tS'. A male- sterile plant with 20"+1t4D" was used in the cross described below.

The progeny from- a cross between a male-sterile plant 20"+ t1"4DL and CS produced 21 male sterile plants with 21" and 21 fertile plants with 20+t1"4DL (Table 2). The absence of fertile recombinant(s) with 21" and sterile recombinant(s) with 20+t1" indicated that the Ms gene was located on the short-arm of chromosome 4D.


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