African Journal of
Plant Science

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Plant Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0824
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJPS
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 804

Full Length Research Paper

Evidence of polyploidy in fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.)

M. I. Uguru1* and J. C. Onovo2
1Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. 2Department of Biological Sciences, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 07 March 2011
  •  Published: 31 May 2011

Abstract

Mitotic studies were carried out on fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook. F.) lines collected from South East, South West, South South and North Central geopolitical zones of Nigeria where the crop is mainly cultivated. The results obtained revealed diploids (2n = 22), aneuploids (2n = 22 + 1), triploid (3n = 3x = 33) and tetraploid (4n = 4x = 44) chromosome numbers among the cells investigated. About 4% of the 123 cells investigated were anueploids (2n = 22 + 1), 1.2% were triploid (3n = 33), 1.2%, tetraploid (4n = 44). About 84% of the total cells investigated had 2n = 22. The implications of these polyploidized conditions on the evolutionary trend of the Nigerian fluted pumpkin lines were discussed.

 

Key words: Aneuploid, chromosomes, evolutionary trend, landraces, tetraploid, triploid.