SOFIA, BULGARIA
Institute of Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of
Sciences
Seeds with two bilaterally situated embryos and endosperms
--Dankov, T; Kruleva, M; Krapchev, B
In connection with the study of heterofertilization during 1995
in the crosses (sweet corn X dent with embryo marker + sweet
corn) and (sweet corn X line 502 + sweet corn) out of a total of
5832 kernels, except for some ones with typical
heterofertilization, two seeds with independent bilaterally
situated embryos without marker and their respective normal
endosperms had on one hand dent form but on the other hand
sweet corn (as if two kernels of sweet corn and dent form are
stuck together). An attempt at seed germination and obtaining
progeny was made, but we failed. The germs perished while still in
petri dishes.
Our explanation is: probably one of the synergids participated
in obtaining the second independent embryo. We don't know what
part of the embryo sac participated in the second independent
endosperm and what kind of nucleus they had. We suppose that
two sperms participated in forming two embyos and endosperms.
In the first case, it doesn't show if they are from pollen grains of
two different pollen parents, and in the second case--it is
indisputable.
Please Note: Notes submitted to the Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter may be cited only with consent of the authors
Return to the MNL 71 On-Line Index
Return to the Maize Newsletter Index
Return to the MaizeGDB Homepage