CYTOGENETICAL EVIDENCES FOR HYBRID STRUCTURE AND ORIGIN OF DIPLOID AND TRIPLOID SHALLOTS (ALLIUM-CEPA VAR VIVIPARUM, LILIACEAE) FROM DALMATIA (CROATIA)

Two viviparous strains of common onion (Allium cepa) denoted as Allium cepa var. viviparum (syn. Allium X proliferum), traditionally cultiva ted in the seaside regions of Croatia were found to be diploid (2n = 2 x = 16) and triploid (2n = 3x = 24), respectively. The triploid cultiv ated onion 'Ljutika' has not been previously reported in Europe. Using Feulgen and Giemsa C-banding methods both karyotypes were shown to be of hybrid constitution. Results obtained in this work indicate that D almatian viviparous onions arose from spontaneous hybridization of A. cepa with A. fistulosum.