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Albino mutation in common wheat
A. T. Pugsley
Agricultural Research Institute, Department of Agriculture Wagga Wagga,
Australia
The occurrence of a recessive albino mutation in Triticum vulgare
was reported in the Australian Plant Breeding and Genetics Newsletter
1956 (No. 9, p. 5). The mutant was first detected in 1953 in the F4
of the cross, Federation x Normandie.
Two further mutations at apparently the same locus were observed last
year.
One F6 plant of the above crossbred produced two leaves each
with a narrow white
stripe extending the length of the leaves. This plant was subsequently
shown to be heterozgous for albinism so that the striping appeared to
be the result of a somatic mutation of the normal allel (in the broad
sense).
The second mutation appeared in an F3 of quite unrelated material-a
backcross derivative (Iumillo x Aegilops squarrosa)
x Javelin 6. The original amphiploid was supplied to the writer by Dr.
E. P. Baker of Sydney University who in turn had received it from Dr.
Sears of U.S.A. The material was being studied during an investigation
of mildew resistance. The population segregated 7 green and 3 albino-the
albino plants being similar to those observed previously and dying in
the seedling stage. Genetic tests involving a cross between two plants
each heterozygous for albinism segregated albino seedlings, indicating
that the same locus was involved on each occasion in 1953 and 1957.
(Received May 10, 1958)
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