STATUS OF STUDIES OF PRIMARY TRISOMICS AND OTHER ANEUPLOIDS IN BARLEY

Recent achievements in the cytology and genetics of trisomics of barley are reviewed. The usefulness of new trisomic series in cultivated varieties is briefly outlined. Special reference is given to the comparison of trisomic series in H. spontaneum and in cultivated varieties including the spring type, two-rowed cultivar, Shin Ebisu 16, the only one in which a complete set was established. Trisomics have been shown to be useful for verifying some doubtful results of previous linkage analysis, and to assign new mutant genes to particular chromosomes. The establishment of a new barley type with eight bivalents is reported in relation to the usefulness of trisomics in the experimental study of evolution in diploid plants. Problems for future work were considered, such as: The establishment of a series of telocentric trisomics with the purpose of establishing more accurate linkage maps by designating more genes on each chromosome arm and by locating centromere positions on the maps. The analysis of enzymatic activity or other chemical proporties ascribable to specific individual chromosomes may be useful in the improvement of malting barley varieties. © 1969 Martinus Nijhoff.