Cytomixis in Pollen Mother Cells of Medicago sativa L.

Cytomixis, i.e. chromatin migration between meiocytes, has been detected in many plant species, but not in Medicago sativa spp. In the present study we report the identification of a few cytomictic alfalfa plants. Those plants, the “mother plants”, were selfed and crossed with a normal control plant. Microsporogenesis analysis was performed on the mother plants, on the S1 and F1 plants and on the controls. The S1 and F1 plants, like the mother plants, were found to be cytomictic. Single or multiple chromatin bridges between two or more meiocytes were observed almost exclusively in prophase I. Some completely empty meiocytes were also observed. In addition to cytomixis, other meiotic abnormalities were found. Control plants showed an almost regular meiosis. The highest values of cytomixis were observed in the mother plants, and the lowest in their F1 progenies. Variability of cytomixis in the F1 plants is probably due to a heterozygotic condition of the parents for this trait. No significant correlation was found between cytomixis and pollen viability, even if the cytomictic plants showed low values of pollen viability.