Abstract
A number of wild species of the genus Vigna were examined as to their chromosome numbers and mitotic metaphase plate configurations.
Both the reported diploid numbers 20 and 22, were found or confirmed in a number of wild African species and one originating from East Asia. In species with the chromosome number 20 no deviations from this chromosome number were found. The identification of individual chromosomes is generally limited by their extremely small size. Moreover, the results did not tally with those of other authors. Therefore we abandoned the subject.
Thirty-six cultivars of V. unguiculata and V. sesquipedalis of various tropical and subtropical sources were investigated, together with wild or subspontaneous types of V. unguiculata and some closely allied forms. The diploid chromosome numbers 22 and 24 have been mentioned in literature.
The following results have been obtained:
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1
A deviation of the chromosome number 22 ranging from 20 to 24 is noted in almost 10% of the cases analysed. Twenty-four chromosomes were found in the majority of these cascs.
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2
When comparing the wild and subspontaneous types and their close alhes with the cultivars, deviations in the cultivars decreased by half which points to a stabilising influence of domestication and selection. In this respect no difference was observed between e.g. the African and American cultivars studied.
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3
In some of the Vigna species, whether having 20 or 22 chromosomes, there is a considerable difference in shape and size of the entire set, which is independent of the degree of spiralization: in this manner, the Central-and South American types generally are characterized by smaller chromosomes as compared to those in the African and Indian cultivars.
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4
The difference is emphasized by the results of grafting combinations between cultivars with large and small chromosome sets.
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5
The above-mentioned facts may indicate that the polyphyletic origin of the subtribe Phaseoleae may even be traced in a genus such as Vigna.
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Frahm-Leliveld, J.A. Cytological data on some wild tropical Vigna species and cultivars from cowpea and asparagus bean. Euphytica 14, 251–270 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00149509
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00149509