Cytological Studies on the Cultivars of Cicer Arietinum L. From Pakistan

SUMMARYSeeds of three cultivars, CSIMF, C612 and F10, of Cicer arietinum were obtained from the Agricultural University, Lyallpur, Pakistan. All the varieties have 2n = 16, with a single pair of satellited chromosomes. Chromosome counts reported for other varieties in the literature are discussed. In F10, the knob-like satellites have the tendency to stick together at mitotic anaphase, forming bridges. However, these bridges are not permanent, and are retracted into two daughter groups at late anaphase leaving no fragment behind. No apparent morphological difference in the mitotic chromosomes of the three varieties can bee seen. However, there are detectable slight differences between the varieties, in the lengths of chromosomes, their arm ratios, and total chromosome length. All chromosomes have median or submedian centromeres. The nucleolar-organising chromosomes have a long subterminal nucleolar-organising region and prominent satellites. In meiosis all varieties show very difficult diplotene and diaki...