The genomic relationship between Glycine max (L.) Merr. and G. soja Sieb. and Zucc. as revealed by pachytene chromosome analysis.

This study was conducted with the objective of determining the genomic relationship between cultivated soybean (Glycine max) and wild soybean (G. soja) of the subgenus Soja, genus Glycine. Observations on cross-ability rate, hybrid viability, meiotic chromosome pairing, and pollen fertility in F 1 hybrids of G. max × G. soja and reciprocals elucidated that both species hybridized readily and set mature putative hybrid pods, generated vigorous F1 plants, had a majority of sporocytes that showed 18II + 1IV chromosome association at diakinesis and metaphase I, and had a pollen fertility that ranged from 49.2% to 53.3%. A quadrivalent was often associated with the nucleolus, suggesting that one of the chromosomes involved in the interchange is a satellited chromosome. Thus, G. max and G. soja genetic stocks used in this study have been differentiated by a reciprocal translocation. Pachytene analysis of F1 hybrids helped construct chromosome maps based on chromosome length and euchromatin and heterochromatin distribution. Chromosomes were numbered in descending order of 1-20. Pachytene chromosomes in soybean showed heterochromatin distribution on either side of the centromeres. Pachytene analysis revealed small structural differences for chromosomes 6 and 11 which were not detected at diakinesis and metaphase I. This study suggests that G. max and G. soja carry similar genomes and validates the previously assigned genome symbol GG.