Allelism tests are continuing on endosperm mutants arising from Mutator populations. This report describes new alleles of et2 and su3 that arose in Mutator populations.
An etched endosperm mutant was found segregating on the self-pollinated ear of a Mu1 outcross plant (91g6290-26). When planted in the sand bench, etched kernels gave rise to albino seedlings. Since the mutant et2 has a similar phenotype, allelism tests were conducted between these two mutants in the 1993 Urbana summer nursery. These tests gave positive results. We name the new et2 mutant allele et2-91g6290-26.
A homozygous viable sugary/shrunken endosperm mutant was found segregating in low frequency on the self-pollinated ear of a plant (89-1303-18) grown from the cross wc1 bm4 X (Wc1 Bm4 / wc1 bm4 [Mu]). Allelism tests with ae1, bt1, bt2, sh2, and su1 proved negative. Positive allele tests were obtained with su3 in our 1991-1992 winter nursery, and were replicated in our 1992 summer nursery. We name this new su3 allele su3-89-1303-18. su3-89-1303-18 shares with the su3 reference allele reduced frequencies of transmission and segregation. We are investigating the possibility that su3 is a duplicate factor pair.
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