CHROMOSOME STABILITY IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) TISSUE CULTURES AND SECTORING IN SOME REGENERATED PLANTS

Cytogenetic stability of maize (Zea mays L.) tissue cultures was assessed by meiotic analysis of plants regenerated from 4- and 8-month-old tissue cultures and by mitotic analysis of cultured cells 4 and 8 months after culture initiation. Cultures initiated from four embryos each of W22 R-nj R-nj × A188 and A188 × W22 R-nj R-nj were examined. After four months in culture, only one of 65 regenerated plants was abnormal; after eight months, only four of 59 regenerated plants were abnormal. Three of the five abnormal plants had normal and cytogenetically abnormal sectors in the tassels. Inheritance studies were conducted on 51 regenerated plants. Eight plants segregated in the S1 for recessive mutations resulting in defective kernels, and one plant segregated for a recessive mutation resulting in a wilted phenotype. Eight different plants that produced normal S1 progeny segregated for defective kernel mutations in some S1 families, indicating a lack of concordance between male and female reproductive cells i...