In pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke), triploids (3n=21) arising spontane ously in diploid lines (Krishnaswamy and Ayyangar 1941, Pantulu and Rao 1977, Koduru and Rao 1978, in twins and triplets , in the progenies of tetraploids , Jauhar 1970, Gill et al. 1970) and through treatments with physical and chemical mutagens (Pantulu 1968, Manga 1972, Mani 1973, Singh et al. 1977 were re ported. Isolated cases of hypertriploidy (3n=32) and hypotriploidy (3n=20 and 19) also were on record (Jauhar 1981, Kumar et al. 1984. In the present study four spontaneous tri ploids, one hypertriploid and two hypotriploids were cytologically studied and the results are reported here. In the open pollinated progeny of the triploid 33-20 a hypertri ploid (3 3-20-7) and in those of 17-7 and 3-3 two hypotriploids (17-7-4 and 3-3-9) were found. Cytological studies were made during meiosis in PMCs using acetocarmine squash technique. Trivalent and quadrivalent type numbers were given after Darlington (1937).Observations and discussion
MorphologyThe triploids as well as hyper-and hypotriploids were more or less like their diploid sibs with two to three tillers. Pollen stainability ranged between 23 and 58%. Seed set was nil on selfing but on open pollination or on crossing with diploid 6 to 15 seeds were obtained in the triploids and none from the hyper and hypotriploids.
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