Karyotype studies in dominant species of aloe from eastern india

Abstract

The karyotype asymmetry/ symmetry of three species of Aloe i.e. A.vera, A. indica and A. ferox was evaluated by eight different methods- TF%, As K%, Stebbins classification, Rec and Syi, A1 and A2, A, DI and AI and also elucidated the relationship between the species. Among all the methods, Stebbins classifi cation found to be less sensible than quantitative parameters. TF%, the Syi, As K%, A1, DI and A indices were unable to express correct parameters to study karyotype asymmetry on the basis of the variation in centromeric position. A2 (interchromosomal asymmetry) index was correctly described karyotype asymmetry on the basis of variation in chromosome length. AI (Asymmetry index) proved to be the most suitable method used to elucidate karyotype asymmetry. Scattered diagrams of correlations among the indices seems to be the best suited to draw overall quantitative relationship and displayed relationship among species with respect to karyotype asymmetry. Signifi cant correlations among AI-DI, A1-A2, Syi-Rec and CVCL-CVCI tried to describe the variation among centromeric position in a chromosome complement at 0.05 and 0.01 levels. The A1 index, CVCI and CVCL have indicated the minor karyotype variations. These methods assessed and analyzed the karyotype asymmetry in chromosome set and compared the karyotypes to related taxa and draw the relationship among closely related species. © 2009 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.