INDUCTION OF A PRODUCTIVE ANEUPLOID IN CASSAVA, MANIHOT-ESCULENTA CRANTZ

Progenies of two interspecific hybrids of cassava (Manihot esculenta C rantz) with wild Manihot species were studied meiotically as well as m itotically. An aneuploid (2n + 2) was isolated among progeny of the in terspecific hybrid of cassava with M. pseudoglaziovii, and two 2n + 2 aneuploids were isolated from progeny of the interspecific hybrid of c assava with M. neusana. One of these aneuploids derived from progeny o f the interspecific hybrid cassava x M. pseudoglaziovii had a very lar ge starchy root, while the other two aneuploids had fibrous roots. It is presumed that root formation in cassava is controlled by additive p olygenes that are distributed on more than one chromosome.