1Division of Plant Improvement, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, 284 003
An experimental variety of hexaploid Avena sativa 'JHO 801′, was crossed with the tetraploid species A. magna used as the pollen parent. The mean frequency of the univalents, bivalents, trivalents and quadrivalents was found to be 4.6,11.3, 0.7 and 1.4, respectively. Differences in the meiotic behaviour of this pentaploid hybrid and those reported earlier have been discussed. It is suggested that the high frequency of bivalents and the low occurrence of univalents can be attained by using A. sativa lines such as MHO 101′, thereby increasing the chances of useful gene transfer from A. magna to A. sativa.
Avena sativa, A. magna, oat, interspecific hybridization, meiotic behaviour
