Comparative cytological study of Solanum aethiopicum Gilo group, Solanum aethiopicum Shum group and Solanum anguivi

Comparative cytological study of Solanum aethiopicum Gilo group, Solanum aethiopicum Shum group and Solanum anguivi

1991

A:PS

Comparative cytological studies were carried out on the Gilo and Shum cultivar groups of S. aethiopicum (scarlet eggplant) and their ancestor, S. anguivi, to elucidate the evolutionary relationships between them. Results indicated preferential pairing of chromosomes in S. anguivi and non-preferential pairing of chromosomes in the Gilo and Shum cultivar groups during early stages of meiosis. The low degree of pairing in the Gilo and Shum cultivar groups and higher percentage of chromosomal abnormalities (12.50 and 10.58%, respectively) indicated cases of translocation heterozygotes and suggested that the 2 taxa have a hybrid origin. Conversely, the high degree of pairing and very low percentage of chromosomal abnormalities (2.5%) suggest that S. anguivi is older than either the Gilo or Shum cultivar groups of S. aethiopicum. It had already been proved that the Gilo and Shum cultivar groups together with the Kumba and Aculeatum groups originated from S. anguivi. Studies on external morphology and also cytological studies have shown that the Gilo cultivar group is more complex morphologically and has a higher percentage of chromosomal aberrations (12.5% as against 10.6% observed in the Shum cultivar group). It is suggested that the Gilo group might have evolved from the Shum group through hybridization and selection, while S. anguivi was already stabilized as their ancestor.

v.53(2):81-85, EUPHYTICA

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