The chromosome morphology and evolutionary relationship between 24 species of onions

A. H. Abdul Wahab

Abstract

The karyotype and Giemsa C-banding pattern in several species of onion in sections Allium and Cepa were studied. It was found that all species in section Cepa have terminal C-bands on all chromosomes. However, species in section Allium lack banding pattern on their chromosomes. The structure of satellited chromosomes of species in section Cepa is of the ‘A. cepa  type’ while in section Allium it is of the ‘A. sativum type’ or ‘A. scorodoprasum  type’ or of both types. Species delimitation into sections could be done using the above criteria.

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