Abstract
THERE is increasing evidence that chromosome size and mass are highly variable within a species. Both natural and induced variation in the DNA1,2 and protein3–5 content of chromosomes is known, and I have demonstrated a positive linear correlation between naturally occurring changes in the volume of metaphase chromosomes and the RNA and histone protein content of the nuclei of Vicia faba. The changes in chromosome volume were not accompanied by variation in the amount of 4C DNA. Similar changes are known to be induced by variations in the mineral content of a culture solution5, in temperature7 and in the hormone balance of plants (personal communication from N. Jones). It has been suggested5,6 that such changes within a species are correlated with the metabolic activity of the meristems in which they occur. To test this hypothesis, I have investigated the effects of ethirimol, which is known to affect root growth, on chromosome volume and root length. If the hypothesis is correct, ethirimol should affect both characters in the same way. Apart from the theoretical interest of such a study, it seemed useful to investigate any possible cytological effects of ethirimol, which may be used widely as a fungicide.
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BENNETT, M. Effects of Ethirimol on Cytological Characters in Barley. Nature 230, 406 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/230406a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/230406a0
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