Artificial synthesis of interspecific chimeras between tuber mustard (Brassica juncea) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and cytological analysis

Abstract

Interspecific chimeras between tuber mustard and red cabbage were obtained by in vitro graft-culture method. Before grafting, 6-day-old seedlings of tuber mustard and red cabbage were vertically half-cut and treated with different concentrations of 6-BA and NAA for 1 min, then, they were symmetrically fit together. As a result, sectorial chimeras were initially produced from the united shoot tips. The maximum frequency of chimeral bud formation reached 6.33% when the vertical sections of tuber mustard and cabbage were treated with 2 mg/l 6-BA and 1 mg/l NAA. When sectorial chimeras were propagated on MS medium containing 1 mg/l 6-BA, periclinal and mericlinal chimeras gradually developed. Chimeral shoots were rooted on half-strength MS medium containing 0.1 mg/l NAA. The rooted chimeras were acclimatized and transferred to the field for cytological and morphological analysis. The results showed that stomata density in the chimeras was significantly higher than that of their parents, while chloroplast size, starch grain size and number were intermediate between the two parents. The chimeras were further analyzed by flow cytometry, and the results indicated that they contained both sets of parental chromosomes. Moreover, chimeral plants possessed valuable characters from the two parents.