Chromosomes analysis of five diploid garden Hyacinth species

As one of the five bulbous flowering plants, the hyacinth is widely cultivated worldwide. Hyacinth has a simple origin but abundant variations – euploids and aneuploids. Most cultivated Hyacinths, including triploid and aneuploid varieties, display high fertility. In this study, we determined the karyotypes of five diploid Hyacinths species with diverse flower colors using C-banding and 45S rDNA Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. Both techniques could identify the individual chromosome clearly. The karyotypes of the five species belonged to 2B and the chromosomes could be evidently classified into four types, namely L, Ln, M and S. The C bands, with low pattern polymorphism, mostly localized on the centromere and the long arm. Among the five species analyzed, the yellow Gipsy Princess showed the most variable banding patterns, where only 8 chromosomes showed distinct C-bands. 45S rDNA in situ hybridization sites were located at the secondary constrictions, and the two satellite chromosomes were somewhat different from each other on hybridization sites. Each hyacinth chromosome could be clearly identified by karyotyping and C-banding techniques.

► We determined the karyotypes of five diploid Hyacinths species with diverse flower color.
► We determined the C-banding pattern and 45S rRNA gene loci of these five diploid Hyacinths species.
► Based on these results, five hyacinth chromosomes could be clearly identified.