Chromosome structural changes and their role in the evolution of tetraploid wheats
The possibility that chromosomal interchanges present in the Timopheevi group (AAGG) are responsible for the differentiation of two different groups of tetraploid wheats, the Emmer group (AABB) and the Timopheevi (AAGG) group, has been examined. Chromosomes of Triticum dicoccoides (2n = 28, AABB) and six interchange types of the Timopheevi group (2n = 28, AAGG) were studied by N-banding. The banding patterns of the G genome were distinct from those of the B genome. The banding patterns of the G genome chromosomes of the interchange types were similar to the basic banding patterns of the G genome except those of interchanged chromosomes. No intermediate banding patterns between the B and G genomes were observed. These interchanges might have occurred after establishment of the basic karyotype of the G genome and would not be related to the differentiation of AABB and AAGG from a progenitor tetraploid, such as amphidiploid (AASS) between Aegilops speltoides (SS) and Triticum boeoticum (AA).Key words: tetraploid wheats, N-banding, interchange.