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Tetrasomic Inheritance of a Lethal Character in Medicago sativa L.¹

Inheritance of a lethal character in alfalfa was studied in several clones and their inbred progenies. It was concluded that the character is controlled by complementary dominant factors inherited tetrasomically. Le and Le₂ have been designated as symbols for these factors. Crosses between inbred progenies from a duplex plant carrying Le or Le₂ and a clone with the complementary simplex dominant genotype were studied. Progenies from these crosses segregated 3 normal:1 lethal, 7:5 or 1:1 the ratios expected with tetrasomic inheritance. No progenies produced all normal plants. Four of the 5 viable tetrasomic genotypes for each locus were isolated from inbred progenies and their frequencies fit the expected 1:8:18:9 ratio. Progenies of crosses among different known genotypes as identified by test crosses segregated 3:1, 7:5, 1:5, and 11:25 in agreement with predicted ratios. The plants in one cross were all lethal except for one. In some progenies lethality was typified by premature death. The data suggest a general relationship between gene dosage and frequency of the premature death.

Key Words: Disomic • complementary loci • dominent • multiplex • simplex • duplex • triplex • quadruplex • dosage effect

² Graduate Research Assistant and Associate Professor, University of Minnesota.

Received for publication January 30, 1966.