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Nuclear DNA content in the genera Zea and Sorghum. Intergeneric, interspecific and intraspecific variation
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  • Original Article
  • Published: 01 December 1985

Nuclear DNA content in the genera Zea and Sorghum. Intergeneric, interspecific and intraspecific variation

  • D A Laurie1 &
  • M D Bennett1 

Heredity volume 55, pages 307–313 (1985)Cite this article

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  • 203 Citations

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Abstract

Microdensitometry measurements showed that 4C DNA content varied significantly both within the genus Zea as a whole and within maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) itself. The DNA contents of diploid teosintes from Mexico and northern Guatemala (Zea mays ssp. mexicana, Zea mays ssp. parviglumis and Zea diploperennis) were within the range recorded for maize (9·84 to 13·49 pg), but the DNA content of a diploid teosinte from southern Guatemala (Zea luxurians) was about 50 per cent higher (18·29 to 18·47 pg). The DNA content of maize was three to four times greater than that of diploid Sorghum bicolor (3·12 to 3·47 pg). In contrast to the situation in maize no significant differences in DNA content were found between accessions of diploid Sorghum bicolor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Breeding Institute, Maris Lane, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 2LQ, England

    D A Laurie & M D Bennett

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  1. D A Laurie
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  2. M D Bennett
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Laurie, D., Bennett, M. Nuclear DNA content in the genera Zea and Sorghum. Intergeneric, interspecific and intraspecific variation. Heredity 55, 307–313 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1985.112

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  • Received: 06 February 1985

  • Issue date: 01 December 1985

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1985.112

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