Variation in the flaked lines ofLathyrus odoratus

Summary

1. According to Punnett, the constitution of our flaked sweet pea seems to beG ₁′G ₁′d ₃ d ₃. In the flaked America the offspring consisted of 3·54% self-coloured, 2·93% dark-flaked, 93·22% flaked, and 0·32% tinged, showing the rate of inconstancy to be high.

2. The inconstancy of the flaked is attributed to the following recurrent gene mutations:$\begin{gathered} G_1 \leftarrow G_1 \prime \to g_1 \prime \hfill \\ d_3 \leftrightarrows D_3 \hfill \\ \end{gathered}$

The self-coloured is due to the change fromG ₁′ toG ₁, the dark-flaked to that fromd ₃ toD ₃, and the tinged to that fromG ₁′ tog ₁′.

3. Punnett’s hypothesis agrees well in the matter of genotypes of the mutant forms that appeared in our culture. His material was derived from Senator, which is a flaked line with high constancy. Our flaked America and Felix, however, showed marked inconstancy in the related genes. Somatic variation with genic changes also occurred.