In vitro propagation and chromosome doubling of a Triticum crassum x Hordeum vulgare intergeneric hybrid.

In vitro culture of inflorescence tissue of a Triticum crassum (6x) x Hordeum vulgare cv. 'Bomi' (2x) intergeneric hybrid resulted in the proliferation of totipotent callus from which plants were regenerated. Regeneration was also achieved from immature inflorescence callus of T. crassum but not from H. vulgare. T. crassum x H. vulgare regenerates had a somatic chromosome number of 28, identical to that of the original hybrid. Four chimeric plants with a partially doubled chromosome number were obtained by in vitro colchicine treatment of hybrid callus prior to induction of plant regeneration. All T. crassum regenerates had 35 chromosomes rather than the expected number of 42. Meiotic analysis of a 35-chromosome plant revealed an extremely abnormal meiosis which might be attributable to a complete disturbance in meiotic control system(s) including that of meiotic pairing.