Characteristics of inbred progenies from morphologically unstable Sorghum plants

Abstract

Progenies from 68 self-pollinated panicles of 10 somatically unstable sorghum-sudangrass hybrid sectors were grown. Data are presented for 25 progenies from three representative unstable plants. Highly uniform progenies were obtained from most panicles. Results indicate chromosome assortment was not always at random. Major distinctions between panicle progenies suggested that: (a) sorghum-like and sudangrass-like genomes functioned as units; (b) gene transfer and association were non-random further indicating that somatic chromosome substitution or somatic translocations, or other gross changes, may have occurred; and (c) other deviating behaviors implied genetic segregation.