Quantitative analysis of DNA and histones of nuclei in fertile and sterile anthers of Beta vulgaris L.

Quantitative analysis of DNA and histones of nuclei in the anthers of male fertile (MF), cytoplasmic, genic and gamma-ray induced cytoplasmic male sterile (MS) lines of Beta vulgaris indicated that in MS anthers, the quantity of DNA and histones corresponded to the MF lines upto microspore tetrad stage. but in subsequent stages there was a progressive retrogression and the nuclei of vacuolate pollen grains and tapetal cells completely lost their stainability. It is concluded that this is due to an impaired synthesis of nuclear DNA and histones associated with their progressive degradation.