Cytological Studies in Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Chromosomal studies were carried out on Eichhornia crassipes and the taxon was found to have 32 individual chromosomes with haploid chromosome number of 16 (n=16), indicating a clear tetraploid genome of 2n =4x =32, chiasmata frequencies per nucleus/bivalent were analyzed at diplotene and diakinesis revealing a marked reduction of chiasmata at diakinesis as compared tobdiplotene . the very low terminalization value of 0.43 showed that most of the chiasmata were terminalized at diakinesis and metaphase I. Multivalent associations were frequent suggesting the presence of a translocation heterozygote . Univalents were also frequent occurrence .chromatid bridges , fragment, Laggards and eliminated chromosomes were also frequent at both MI and MII. Secondary association of chromosomes occurred with a prepodence of four and eight over other groups.