Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of intergeneric hybrids between Brassica napus and Orychophragmus violaceus

Twenty-two intergeneric hybrids from a cross between Brassica napus (AACC, 2n = 38) cultivar Oro and the ornamental crucifer Orychophragmus violaceus (OO, 2n = 24) were produced without embryo rescue. The plants were classified into three groups based on morphological and cytological observations and RAPD banding patterns. Plants of Group I had morphological traits of both parents and 2n = 29 chromosomes. In these plants, 62.1% of the pollen mother cells (PMCs) had the pairing configuration 1 III + 9 II + 8 I; the remaining PMCs had 10 II + 9 I. The plants possessed 97.6-98.8% B. napus specific and 9.2-11.7% O. violaceus specific RAPD fragments. Plants of Group II exhibited novel morphological traits and possessed 2n = 35, 36, or 37 chromosomes. Plants of Group III were morphologically similar to B. napus and possessed 2n = 19, 37, 38, or 39 chromosomes. Plants of Group II and Group III had 94.1-99.4% B. napus specific RAPD fragments and no O. violaceus specific RAPD fragments. Chromosome fragments were observed in PMCs of most of the F-1 plants in all groups. Based on the cytological results and RAPD analysis, it is suggested that genome doubling and chromosome elimination occurred in the intergeneric hybrids of B. napus x O. violaceus.