MOLECULAR CYTOGENETIC ANALYSIS IN WHEAT

Two technical innovations led to major advances in the molecular cytog enetic analyses of the wheat genome. The first innovation, the applica tion of banding techniques, permitted distinction between heterochroma tic and euchromatic regions and led to individual identification of me taphase chromosomes. The second innovation, the development of in situ hybridization protocols, permitted molecular analysis of chromosome s tructure, and physical localization of specific DNA sequences in indiv idual chromosomes. The applications of banding and in situ hybridizati on techniques in cytogenetics, plant breeding, gene mapping, and in as saying alien chromatin introgression are briefly discussed. A connecti on is made to the pioneering contributions of E.R. Sears, without whic h, rapid progress in the molecular cytogenetic analysis of wheat would not have occurred.