Chromosome aberrations induced by zebularine in triticale

Area of Science:

• Plant genetics
• Cytogenetics
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Chromosome engineering is crucial for wheat germplasm development.
• Efficient induction of chromosome aberrations facilitates alien gene introgression and application in wheat.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of zebularine, a DNA methylation transferase inhibitor, in inducing chromosome aberrations in octoploid triticale.
• To assess the stability and heritability of zebularine-induced aberrations.

Main Methods:

• Octoploid triticale (Jinghui#1) seeds were treated with varying concentrations (250, 500, 750 μmol/L) and durations (12, 24, 36, 48 h) of zebularine.
• Chromosome aberrations in M1 and M2 generations were analyzed using cytological methods.

Main Results:

• Zebularine treatments induced various chromosome aberrations, including deletions, translocations, and ring chromosomes, in M1 plants.
• A significant percentage of M2 plants (21.6%) exhibited stable aberrations, such as altered rye chromosome numbers and wheat-rye translocations.
• Aberrations were heritable, with an average of 0.89 aberrations per cell observed in M1 plants.

Conclusions:

• Zebularine is an effective agent for inducing stable chromosome aberrations in triticale.
• The induced aberrations can be steadily transmitted to subsequent generations.
• Zebularine represents a novel and efficient tool for chromosome manipulation in plant breeding programs.