Position of the Gene determining the Diploid-like Meiotic Behaviour of Wheat

Abstract

COMMON wheat (Triticum aestivum 2n = 6x = 42) has attained the hexaploid condition by the combination of the full chromosome complements of the three diploid species Triticum monococcum, Aegilops speltoides and Aegilops squarrosa ^1–3. However, at meiosis in T. aestivum, despite the close genetical and cytological relationships of its diploid ancestors, each chromosome pairs with its fully homologous partner and only bivalents are formed. There is no pairing between corresponding, homœologous, chromosomes derived from different diploid ancestors, although considerable similarity in the genetical activities of homœologues still remains⁴.