The effect of genotype × cytoplasm interaction on meiotic behaviour of maize chromosomes

The effect of four isogenic cytoplasmic types, normal, Salvador, Texas, and Charrua (the latter three causing male sterility), on the process of chiasma formation has been studied using two different maize hybrids. The cytoplasmic male sterility determinants have been shown to reduce the rate of interstitial exchanges per nucleus and per bivalent and the frequency of univalents. Increased variation between plants and relative stability of the intercellular variation within a plant have been observed for the parameters studied. It is concluded that the determinants of cytoplasmic sterility lower the probability of additional exchanges (relative to the obligate one) and reduce the frequency of premature disruption of one-exchange chromosome associations.Key words: maize, chiasma frequency, male sterile cytoplasm, univalent formation, genotype × cytoplasm interaction.