An evaluation of the potential of intergeneric gene transfer between Brassica napus and Sinapis arvensis

The possibility of gene transfer between Brassica napus and Sinapis arvensis was evaluated. Six spring-type cultivars of B. napus and four strains of S. arvensis were reciprocally crossed through controlled crosses. No hybrid was yielded from any cross. However, one hybrid with 28 chromosomes was obtained from B. napus x S. arvensis through ovule culture. The hybrid plant was highly sterile and set no seed on open pollination. Two F-2 plants, with 35 and 36 chromosomes respectively, were obtained through self-pollination by hand. Backcross of B. napus produced 23 plants carrying some characteristics of S. arvensis, but backcross to S. arvensis failed to produce a plant. The chromosome counts of the BC1F1 plants indicated that gametes with more than nine chromosomes were favoured during the meiosis. The data demonstrated that gene transfer from S. arvensis to B. napus was very difficult under controlled cross and backcross, while to transfer genes from B. napus to S. arvensis would be extremely remote even under the most favorable conditions.