Pachytene karyotype analysis of tetraploid Meloidogyne hapla females by electron microscopy.

Pairing of homologous chromosomes results in the formation of 34 synaptonemal complexes (SC) at pachytene, corresponding to the 34 bivalents at metaphase I. No multivalent associations were observed and pairing occurs two-by-two. The modified SC, which lacks a central element, does not affect the pairing process. Only one end of the SC is attached to the nuclear envelope, although either end can attach. Total SC length and the number of recombination nodules in the tetraploid were about 1.5 times greater than in the diploid.