MEIOSIS OF TRIPLOID LOLIUM .2. DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE ANALYSES OF CHROMOSOME CONFIGURATIONS AT METAPHASE-I IN INVERSE AUTOALLOTRIPLOID COMBINATIONS

Chromosome configurations were analysed at metaphase I in six plants of each of the two inverse autoallotriploid types of Lolium temulentum x L. multiflorum with the genome combinations TTM and TMM. In the combination with two large genomes and one small (TTM), there was no preferential pairing but with two small genomes and one large (TMM) there was preferential pairing. The findings are discussed in relation to the differences in DNA amounts of the two species and the associated differences in meiotic times of larger and smaller genomes. The results question the value of pairing data in triploids for the assessment of the relatedness of-diploid species.