RETROSPECTS AND PERSPECTIVES OF CYTOGENETICAL STUDIES IN VIGNA

From a cytologentical point of view Vigna unguiculata has not been sub jected to many studies, possibly as the result of serveral reasons, su ch as minor economical wordwide importance of this crop or the extreme ly small size of its chromosomes. During the last few years an intensi fication of the interest in this crop took place and its wild allies w hich was paralleled to an increase of cytogenetical studies. The appli cation of new techniques of chromosome preparation and staining as wel l as of improved methods of analysis, such as image analysis, allowed us to reach a better general knowledge of the cytogenetical constituti on of this species. Moreover the comparsion of data from wild species is providing an interesting background to biotechnological manipulatio n of this promising crop.