Cytological identification of some trisomics of Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea)

Russian wildrye, Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski (2n = 2x = 14; NsNs), is an important forage grass and a potential source of germplasm for cereal crop improvement. Because of genetic heterogeneity as a result of its self-incompatibility, it is difficult to identify trisomics of this diploid species based on morphological characters alone. Putative trisomies (2n = 2x + 1 = 15), derived from open pollination of a triploid plant by pollen grains of diploid plants, were characterized by Giemsa C-banding. Based on both karyotypic criteria and C-banding patterns, four of the seven possible primary trisomics, a double-deletion trisomic, and two tertiary trisomics were identified.