B-chromosomes from an experimental population of the Japanese JNK stra
in of rye, isogenic for its Bs, have been backcrossed into twelve diff
erent inbred lines. The experiment provides a way to study the effects
of the Bs against a range of homozygous A-chromosome backgrounds. Thi
s publication deals with vigour and fertility: it shows that the rye B
s fit a parasitic model, and that they interact in their effects with
the A-chromosome background genotype.