Induction of segmental interchanges in pearl millet (Pennisetum typhides)

Dry seeds of two varieties of Pennisetum typhoides (2n=14), 'Tift 23-B' and 'Bil-3B', were treated with gamma rays, diethyl sulphate (DES) and ethylene imine (EI) at their approximate LD50 dosages and the pollen mother cells of the M1 (first generation immediately after the seed treatment) plants were analysed at diakinesis for multivalent configurations resulting from segmental interchanges. While quadrivalents and trivalents were commonly found in all the mutagenic treatments, hexavalents were seen in the gamma-ray treatment only. Ring quadrivalents were common in all the treatments and their frequency was higher in gamma-ray treatment than in the treatments with the chemical mutagens of which EI produced more quadrivalents than DES. The variety 'BIL3B' was more responsive to all the mutagens used than 'Tift-23B' in which, excepting in gamma-ray treatment, no multivalents were observed in EI and DES treatments.The quadrivalents induced by different mutagens were of different types involving different chromosomes, indicating some kind of specificity of the mutagens in causing chromosome breaks. Thus, in EI-induced quadrivalents the nucleolar chromosome, the shortest chromosome of the complement, was involved, whereas in the case of DES and gamma rays it was the longest chromosome of the complement that was involved in the quadrivalent. Apparently the breaks must have been produced in different chromosomes preferentially.Self-pollinated seeds of two heterozygotes whose interchanges were induced by EI and gamma rays were given a second cycle treatment with gamma rays, again at the LD50 dosage (35 kR), and interchange stocks involving different chromosomes, up to a maximum of eight chromosomes were realized. Alternate use of EI and gamma rays offered better possibilities of obtaining inter-change heterozygotes involving more, if not all, chromosomes in a ring than two successive treatments with gamma rays alone.