Chromosome C-banding of the teosinte Zea nicaraguensis and comparison to other Zea species.
The Nicaraguan teosinte Zea nicaraguensis was studied cytologically to determine its chromosome number and C-banding pattern. The C-banding pattern was compared with that of the close relative Zea luxurians as well as with Zea diploperennis and cultivated maize, Zea mays ssp. mays. Karyograms were constructed for the four Zea species. It is shown that Z. nicaraguensis, like most other Zea species, is a diploid with 2n=20 chromosomes. The C-banding pattern shows that Z. nicaraguensis is very similar to Z. luxurians and more similar to Z. luxurians than to Z. diploperennis and cultivated maize. Whether or not Z. nicaraguensis and Z. luxurians should be regarded as subspecies instead of individual species is, however, not possible to conclude from this study.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Alnarp, Sweden.
Pernilla
P
Ellneskog-Staam
Carlos
C
Henry Loaisiga
Arnulf
A
Merker
D002871:Chromosome Banding; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000378:metabolism; D018745:Genome, Plant; D013045:Species Specificity; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics*
D018744:DNA, Plant