Timing and rate of genome variation in triticale following allopolyploidization

The timing and rate of genomic variation induced by allopolyploidization in the intergeneric wheat-rye (Triticum spp. – Secale cereale L.) hybrid triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) was studied using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses with 2 sets of primers, EcoRI–MseI (E–M) and PstI–MseI (P–M), which primarily amplify repetitive and low-copy sequences, respectively. The results showed that allopolyploidization induced genome sequence variation in triticale and that a great degree of the genome variation occurred immediately following wide hybridization. Specifically, about 46.3% and 36.2% of the wheat parental band loss and 74.5% and 68.4% of the rye parental band loss occurred in the F1 hybrids (before chromosome doubling) for E–M and P–M primers, respectively. The sequence variation events that followed chromosome doubling consisted of continuous modifications that occurred at a very small rate compared with the rate of variation before chromosome doubling. However, the rate of sequence variation involving the rye parental genome was much higher in the first 5 generations following chromosome doubling than in any subsequent generation. Surprisingly, the highest rate of rye genomic variation occurring after chromosome doubling was in C3 or later, but not in C1. The data suggested that the cytoplasm and the degree of the relationship between the parental genomes were the key factors in determining the direction, amount, timing, and rate of genomic sequence variation occurring during intergeneric allopolyploidization.Key words: genome evolution, sequence variation, allopolyploid, triticale, AFLP.