Cytogenetic and molecular studies on two faba bean cultivars revealed their difference in their aluminum tolerance

Abstract

Two cultivars of faba bean (Vicia faba ‘Giza 843’ and ‘Nobaria 3’) that differ in aluminum (Al) tolerance were used to study cytogenetic and genomic alterations under the influence of Al Cl3 (5, 15, and 25 mmol AlCl3) for different periods (6, 12 and 24 h). Under Al treatments, mitotic index in both cultivars decreased and total chromosomal abnormalities increased. The frequencies of micronuclei and chromosomal abnormalities (C-anaphase, metaphase-star chromosomes, breaks, sticky and disturbed chromosomes during metaphase or anaphase) in ‘Giza 843’ were lower than in ‘Nabaria 3’. Increase of the registered cytogenetic events under the influence of Al stress led to increase the detected polymorphism using RAPD and ISSR markers. Application of RAPD primers gave the same value of polymorphism in both faba bean cultivars under Al stress. Polymorphism average of nine ISSR primers of ’Giza 843’ (65.36 %) was lower than that of ‘Nobaria 3’ (71.59 %). Molecular markers, cytogenetic characteristics and seedling growth data indicate that Al tolerance of ‘Giza 843’ was higher than of ‘Nobaria 3’. This work shows that cytogenetic and ISSR techniques could be used efficiently to distinguish between the ability of two faba bean cultivars to tolerate toxic effects of Al.

Keywords

• aluminum tolerance
• Vicia faba L.
• chromosomal abnormalities
• cytogenetics
• RAPD
• ISSRaas.2020.116.2.1346