"Studies Of The Mitotic Chromosomal Differences Of Three Varieties Of Maize (Zea Mays L.):- Nnamani Daniel C.

ABSTRACT

The mitotic chromosomal dcfferences of three varieties of maize (Zea mays ever/a, 'Lea mays saccharata and Zea mays turnicata) from root tips were investigated using squashing method. 0.05g of Colchicine, 3: 1 ethanol-glacial acetic acid and 70% of ethanol was used for pretreatment and fixation. l N HCl were used for hydrolysis and 2g of orcein was use for staining. the diploid number of 1/.ea mays everta, Zea mays saccharata and Zea mays turnicata was 2n 20 each, well spread with few overlapping chromosomes were obtained. Chromosome I with the highest value was the longest chromosome were as the shortest chromosome and the shortest chromosome is chromosome X. In Zea mays everta chromosome I H and V was metacentrics while the rest are non-metacentries. In Zea mays sacharata, chromosome I and II arc metacentric while the rest arc non-mctaccntrics. In Zea mays turnicata, chromosome I. II and three arc mctaccntrics while the rest are nonmetacentries