Recombination in sesquidiploid hybrids of Lycopersicon esculentum × Solanum lycopersicoides and derivatives

Summary

Sesquidiploid hybrids of L. esculentum (L) x S. lycopersicoides (S) were backcrossed to L via L. pennellii (P) as a bridging species in order to detect and measure recombination. Although use of P injected its traits into the populations, the investigated traits were proven to originate from S. The appearance of S traits in diploids in the immediate progeny of sesquidiploids but mainly of derived alien addition types proved the occurrence of recombination at rates varying from 1.6% to 16%. In subsequent BC's, these traits were inherited in dominant Mendelian fashion, except for deviations favoring recurrent parent alleles, sometimes with highly significant deviations from 1∶1. Inheritance was investigated in BC and F₂ ex BC for 13 traits with strong phenotypic modifications of morphological, physiological, and isozymic nature. Monogenic determination was confirmed in most instances by tight linkages. For most of the traits, small progenies allowed only rough estimates of linkage intensities, but for Wa (gene for White anthers, universal in S), a test cross with four markers on chromosome 8 established its locus 2 cM distal to dl, proximally on 8L. Also noteworthy is the linkage of Dls, a gene determining sensitivity of flowering to long days, close to sp, situated subterminally on 6L. For the majority of traits, these manifestations of linkage proved that the appearance of S traits resulted from recombination, not alien chromosome substitution — a conclusion also reinforced by observations of chromosome pairing in alien addition types and diploid derivatives. Recombined S alleles have loci in various chromosome positions. Although they were discovered on the shorter chromosomes (nos. 6–12), hybridization barriers precluded tests with the longer chromosomes. Thus, no evidence was found for restriction of recombination to certain chromosomes or chromosomal regions. The prospects therefore appear favorable for deriving valuable traits from the S parent.