Karyological study of apricot, cherry plum and a natural hybrid in the Prunus genus “TANASGOL” (P. cerasifera × P. spp.)

Abstract

constriction and staining properties by aceto-iron-hematoxylin were analyzed for <em>Prunus</em> species of apricot (<em>Prunus armeniaca</em> L.), plum (<em>P. cerasifera </em>Ehrh.) and a natural new hybrid known as “TANASGOL" (<em>P. cerasifera × P. </em>spp<em>.</em>). The obtained root tips from germinated seeds at 4–6 °C and young seedlings were pretreated in hydroxyquinoline solution with 50 drops of DMSO. All species had 2n=2x=16 very small chromosomes and were uniformly stained. The ranges of chromosome length in the three species were as follows: apricot (<em>Prunus armeniaca</em>) 1.50 to 2.70 µm, plum <br />(<em>P. cerasifera</em>) 1.54 to 2.77 µm, and (<em>P. cerasifera × P. </em>spp<em>.</em>) “TANASGOL" 1.35 to 2.82 µm. Other features of the chromosomes, such as variation in the length of chromosomes within species, number of satellites and size, constrictions, centromere placements and karyographs were used to distinguish species. The similarities and differences of chromosomes morphology in species were analyzed by karyographs based on Relative Length (RL%) and Chromosome Index (CI). Chromosomal similarities between “TANASGOL" and plum (<em>P. cerasifera</em>) were more evident.