Investigations in the Triticinae I. Colchicine techniques for chromosome doubling in interspecific and intergeneric hybridization

Abstract

1. Sixteen colchicine treatments, involving five main methods of application and six concentrations, have been used on Triticum interspecific crosses, Triticum—Aegilops intergeneric crosses and Agropyron—Triticum intergeneric crosses.2. The efficacy of the major treatments in terms of plant survival, plant fertility and ear fertility has been compared, and the most successful method of application has been found to be absorption through the cut leaves—i.e. capping cut-back tillers with a small glass phial containing colchicine.3. Fertility induced by colchicine is not complete. In plants producing grain, every ear is not necessarily fertile, nor are all spikelets in fertile ears usually fertile.4. Evidence has been obtained of differential cross response to colchicine action, and also of cross-group response to particular treatments.