J. Dolezel et W. Gohde, SEX DETERMINATION IN DIOECIOUS PLANTS MELANDRIUM-ALBUM AND M-RUBRUM USING HIGH-RESOLUTION FLOW-CYTOMETRY, Cytometry, 19(2), 1995, pp. 103-106
High-resolution flow cytometry was used to analyze nuclear DNA content
in dioecious plants Melandrium album and M. rubrum. Very low coeffici
ents of variation (0.5-0.70%) of G(0/1) peaks were obtained after the
analysis of nuclei isolated by chopping leaf tissues. In both species,
females have lower DNA content than males due to sex chromosome heter
omorphism. This made it possible to discriminate peaks belonging to fe
male and male nuclei on the same histogram and permitted unam-biguous
sex identification in both species. The results indicated the possibil
ity of diagnosing sex also in other heterogametic dioecious plants. Th
e assay described here might be interesting in any area where rapid se
x identification is required at an early stage of plant development. (
C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.