Genomic diversity in aneudiploid (2n = 38) and diploid (2n = 40) Glycine tomentella revealed by cytogenetic and biochemical methods.

Of the 15 perennial species of the subgenus Glycine Willd., G. tomentella Hayata is unique in that it has four cytotypes (2n = 38, 40, 78, and 80) and a wide range of geographical distributions. The objective of this study was to uncover the genomic diversity among accessions of aneudiploid (2n = 38) and diploid (2n = 40) G. tomentella based on crossability rate, hybrid seed and seedling viability, meiotic chromosome pairing of F1 hybrids, and seed protein and protease inhibitor profiles. Aneudiploid and diploid G. tomentella accessions were divided into two (D1 and D2) and three [D3(A,B,C), D4, and D5] groups, respectively, based on previous isozyme studies. Crossability rate, intergenomic hybrid viability, degree of chromosome pairing, total seed protein profiles, and trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor banding patterns confirmed the isozyme grouping with minor disagreements. A consistent variation was not observed among the aneudiploid accessions in any method of analysis used in this study. Similarly, cytogenetic analysis and the total seed protein profiles did not show dissimilarity among the accessions from Papua New Guinea (PNG; the D3 group) and north of Mitchell River in Northern Queensland [N.Qld(n)]. However, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor analysis revealed that the PNG accessions were distinctly different from N.Qld(n) accessions. The D4 and D5 group accessions were clearly distinguishable by both cytogenetic and biochemical methods. Thus, this study indicates the presence of four genomic groups among G. tomentella (2n = 38, 40) accessions, including the aneudiploids D1 and D2 in one group and diploids in three groups (D3, D4, and D5). These findings will be useful in further genome analysis and add to our present understanding of the biosystematics of the genus Glycine.