Instability in the An1 component of the idd*-2286A mutant

--M. G. Neuffer and S. Chao

In MNL 65:52 we presented what we thought to be a simple explanation for the phenotypes found in progeny and allelism tests of the EMS induced mutants idd*-2286A and id*-A972. The preliminary observations were correct but not as consistent as indicated. It now appears that the idd mutant is quite variable in its dwarfing activity with some instances where homozygous idd individuals are distinctly short, have a dark green color and are indeterminate in growth while others are somewhat taller and have a normal green color. Some of these latter mutant plants, which were short as seedlings, grow almost normally and become determinate anther ear types that are only a little shorter than normal sibs. Furthermore 2 other EMS induced mutants, id*-392B and id*-2373A, show considerable variation in height suggesting that they also may be unstable with regard to an associated plant height trait. It is true that the idd mutant when crossed on an-6923 produces anther ear plants proving allelism, but these idd/an-6923 plants are taller and less extreme than homozygotes for the reference allele. The relationship between the anther ear and indeterminate traits on this chromosome segment are still unclear.

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