Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Origin and cytology of a novel cytotype of Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng. (2n = 48)

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Naturally occurring/spontaneously produced polyploids with six/more genomes are rarely found in Alliums. A hexaploid form of Allium tuberosum with 2n = 48 chromosomes has been isolated for the first time amongst the open-pollinated seedlings of a hypotetraploid plant (2n = 4x = 31); latter being the seed-derived product of a normal tetraploid stock (2n = 4x = 32) growing in Jammu University Botanical Garden. Except for the guard cells and pollen grains that are of increased size, this form compared to its progenitor is dwarf, has smaller leaves and bears inflorescences with few flowers. This plant is also different from its progenitor in having nearly one-fourth (27.8 %) of its pollen mother cells (PMCs) with varying chromosome number viz. 27–64, with the remaining cells having somatic or double the somatic number of chromosomes. To assess the nature of hexaploid form, its chromosomes were studied for morphological details, putative grouping and pairing properties during reduction division. Morphological similarity in the chromosomes of the present cytotype and its progenitor, arrangement of 48 chromosomes in eight groups of six chromosomes each and presence of 21.88 % euploid cells with eight hexavalents pointed towards the autopolyploid nature of the present strain. Regarding the origin of this strain, observation made on the meiosis in the two sex mother cells of the progenitor provides some clues. In the later plant, presence of most of embryo-sac mother cells with 62 chromosomes that showed 31:31 segregations and existence of majority of the PMCs with 31 chromosomes exhibiting erratic segregations indicate that the hexaploid strain has probably originated as a result of the fusion of reduced male (n = 17) and unreduced female gamete (2n = 31).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams KL, Wendel JF (2005) Polyploidy and genome evolution in plants. Curr Opin Plant Biol 8:135–141

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Adams KL, Percifield R, Wendel JF (2004) Organ-specific silencing of duplicated genes in a newly synthesized cotton allotetraploid. Genetics 168:2217–2226

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Albertin W, Prabant P, Catrice O, Eber F, Jenczewski E et al. (2005) Autopolyploidy in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) does not alter significantly the proteomes of green tissue. Proteomics 5:2131–2139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Gohil RN (1994) Cytology of legumes of Kashmir Himalaya. V. Cytomixis and chromosome migration in Astragalus subuliformis D.C. Nucleus 37:119–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Asker S (1977) Pseudogamy, hybridization and evolution in Potentilla. Hereditas 87:179–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blattner FR, Friesen N (2006) Relationship between Chinese Chive (Allium tuberosum) and its putative progenitor as assessed by random amplified polymorphic DNA. In: Zeder MA, Bradley DG, Emshwiller E, Smith BD (eds) Documenting domestication: new genetic and archeological paradigms. University of California Press, Berkley and Los Angeles, California

  • Bottley A, Xia GM, Koebner RMD (2006) Homeologous gene silencing in hexaploid wheat. Plant J 47:897–906

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Choudhary R (2008) Beneficial effect of Allium sativum and Allium tuberosum on experimental hyperlipidemia and arterosclerosis. Pak J Physiol 4(2):7–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Church SA, Spaulding EJ (2009) Gene expression in a wild autopolyploid sunflower series. J Hered 100:491–495

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comai L (2005) The advantages and disadvantages of being polyploid. Nat Rev Genet 6:836–846

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Doyle JJ, Flagel LE, Paterson AH, Rapp RA, Soltis DE, Soltis PS, Wendel JF (2008) Evolutionary genetics of genome merger and doubling in plants. Annu Rev Genet 42:443–461

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fedorov AA (ed) (1969) Chromosome numbers of flowering plants. Komarov Botanical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad, USSR

  • Gaeta RT, Pires JC, Iniguez-Luy F, Leon E, Osborn TC (2007) Genomic changes in resynthesized Brassica napus and their effect on gene expression and phenotype. Plant Cell 19:3403–3417

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geeta (2005) Cytogenetic studies in Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng. with emphasis on the phenomenon of apomixis. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Jammu, Jammu, India

  • Gohil RN (1998) Cytology of Indian Alliums—a brief overview. In: Kachroo P (ed) Progress in cytogenetics. Bishen Singh Mahindra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, pp 95–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Gohil RN, Kaul R (1979) Seed progeny studies in Alliums. I. Numerical variants in the progeny of tetraploid Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng. Beitr Biol Pflanzen 54:305–309

    Google Scholar 

  • Gohil RN, Koul AK (1971) Desynapsis in some diploid and polyploid species of Allium. Can J Genet Cytol 13:723–728

    Google Scholar 

  • Gohil RN, Koul AK (1973a) Some adaptive genetic-evolutionary processes accompanying polyploidy in the Indian Alliums. Bot Notiser 126:426–432

    Google Scholar 

  • Gohil RN, Koul AK (1973b) Bearing of meiotic irregularities on karyotype alterations in some polyploid taxa of genus Allium. In: Kachroo P (ed) Advancing frontiers in cytogenetics. Hindustan Publishing Corporation, New Delhi, pp 136–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant V (1971) Plant speciation. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant V (1981) Plant speciation, 2nd edn. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo M, Davis D, Birchler JA (1996) Dosage effects on gene expression in a maize ploidy series. Genetics 142:1349–1355

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamrick JL, Nason JD, Fleming TH, Nassar JM (2002) Genetic diversity in columnar cacti. In: Fleming H, Valiente-Banet A (eds) Columnar cacti and their mutualists: evolution, ecology, and conservation. University of Arizona Press, Tuscon, pp 122–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanelt P (1988) Taxonomy as a tool for studying plant genetic resources. Kulturpflanze 36:169–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harlan JR, De Wet JMJ (1975) On O. winge prayer: the origin of polyploids. Bot Rev 41:361–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hegarty M, Hiscock S (2007) Polyploidy: doubling up for evolutionary success. Curr Biol 17:927–929

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hegarty MJ, Hiscock SJ (2008) Genomic clues to the evolutionary success of polyploid plants. Curr Biol 18:435–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jauhar PP (2010) Genetic control of chromosome behaviour: implications in evolution, crop improvement and human biology. Nucleus 53:3–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones HA, Mann LK (1963) Onions and their allies. Botany, cultivation and utilization. Leonard Hill (Books) Limited, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Khawaja HIT, Ellis JR, Sybenga J (1995) Cytogenetics of Lathyrus palustris, a natural autohexaploid. Genome 38:827–831

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kojima A, Nagato Y, Hinata K (1991) Degree of apomixis in Chinese chive estimated by esterase isozyme analysis. Jpn J Breed 41:73–83

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lavania UC (2005) Genomic and ploidy manipulation for enhanced production of pharmaceuticals. Plant Genet Resour 3:170–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lavania UC, Srivastava S, Lavania S, Basu S, Misra NK, Mukai Y (2012) Autopolyploidy differentially influences body size in plants, but facilitates enhanced accumulation of secondary metabolites, causing increased cytosine methylation. Plant J. doi:10.1111/j.1365-313X.2012.05006.x

  • Maldung A, Masuelli RW, Watson B, Reynolds SH, Davison J, Comai L (2002) Remodeling of DNA methylation and phenotypic and transcriptional changes in synthetic Arabidopsis allotetraploids. Plant Physiol 129:733–746

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathur M, Tandon SL (1965) Cytology of an autotetraploid Allium tuberosum. Indian J Hort 22:382–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Mau JL, Chen CP, Hsieh PC (2001) Antimicrobial effects of extracts from Chinese chive, and cinnamom and corni fructus. J Agric Food Chem 49:183–188

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ohno R (1964) Chromosomes in Allium tuberosum. J Hokkaido Gakugei Univ II B 16:17–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Pandey A, Pandey R, Negi KS, Radhamani J (2008) Realizing value of genetic resources of Allium in India. Genet Resour Crop Evol 55:985–994

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandita TK, Mehra PN (1981) Cytology of Alliums of Kashmir Himalayas, II. Cultivated taxa. Nucleus 43:46–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Qu L, Hancock JF, Waylon JH (1998) Evolution in an autopolyploid group displaying predominately bivalent pairing at meiosis: genomic similarity of diploid Vaccinium darrowi and autotetraploid V. corymbosum (Ericaceae). Amer J Bot 85:698–703

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsey JR, Schemske DW (1998) Pathways, mechanisms, and rates of polyploid formation in flowering plants. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 29:467–501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rutishauser A (1948) Pseudogamie und Polymorphie in der Gattung Potentilla. Arch Julius Klaus Stiftung 23:267–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Salmon A, Ainouche ML, Wendel JF (2005) Genetic and epigenetic consequences of recent hybridisation and polyploidy in Spartina (Poaceae). Mol Ecol 14:1163–1175

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sapre AB, Naik AS (1990) Formation of aneuploid gametes through non-disjunction during pre-meiotic mitoses in Coix gigantea. Cytologia 55:71–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sen S (1974) Floral biology, meiosis, pollen cytology and cause of seed setting in Allium tuberosum Rottl. Caryologia 27:7–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma G, Gohil RN (2002) Chromosomal chimeras in the male track of Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng. Caryologia 57:158–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma G, Gohil RN (2008) Intrapopulation karyotypic variability in Allium roylei Stearn—a threatened species. Bot J Linn Soc 158:242–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soltis DE (2007) Saxifragaceae: a taxonomic treatment. In: Kulbitzki K (ed) The families and genera of vascular plants, vol 9. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Soltis DE, Soltis PS, Schemske DW, Hancock JF, Thompson JN, Husb BC, Judd WS (2007) Autopolyploidy in angiosperms: have we grossly underestimated the number of species? Taxon 56:13–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Stearn WT (1946) Nomenclature and synonymy of Allium odorum and A. tuberosum. Reprinted from Herbertia (1944) 11:226–245

  • Stebbins GL (1950) Variation and evolution in plants. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Stebbins GL (1971) Chromosomal evolution in higher plants. Edward Arnold, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Stupar RM, Bhaskar PB, Yandell BS, Rensink WA, Hart AL, Ouyang S, Veilleux RE, Busse JS, Erhardt RJ, Buell CR, Jiang J (2007) Phenotypic and transcriptomic changes associated with potato autopolyploidization. Genetics 176:2055–2067

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Talukder K, Sen S (2000) Chromosome characteristics in some Allium species and assessment of their interrelationship. Nucleus 43:46–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang R, Gao J, Liang GH (1999) Identification of primary trisomics and other aneuploids in foxtail millet. Plant Breeding 118:59–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wittkop PJ, Haerum BK, Clark AG (2004) Evolutionary changes in cis and trans gene regulation. Nature 430:85–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang L, Xu JM, Zhang XL, Wan HO (1998) Karyotypical studies of six species of the genus Allium. Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica 36:36–46

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The first author is grateful to the Head, Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu for providing the necessary facilities and to DST, Govt. of India, New Delhi for providing financial assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Geeta Sharma

  2. Centre for Biodiversity Studies, School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, B.G.S.B. University, Rajouri, 185131, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Ravinder N. Gohil

Authors
  1. Geeta Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ravinder N. Gohil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Geeta Sharma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sharma, G., Gohil, R.N. Origin and cytology of a novel cytotype of Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng. (2n = 48). Genet Resour Crop Evol 60, 503–511 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-012-9852-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-012-9852-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation