Cytological characterization of Solanum nigrum L.

Abstract

Solanum nigrum L., belongs to the Solanaceae family and is considered to be an important weed in more than 30 crops in several countries. It has been reported as a weed in sugarcane crops in Argentina but there is no data regarding its incidence in other crops. A study of the morphological characteristics and genotype of Solanum nigrum L. was conducted. The objective of the present work is to cytologically characterize Solanum nigrum L., through a mitotic and meiotic chromosome analysis. Plant material was supplied by the Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia (El Manantial, Lules, Tucumán). Mitosis and meiosis chromosomal analysis was conducted in the leaf and radicle meristem and in young anthers using a 2% hematoxylin coloring technique. S. nigrum was shown to be diploid (2n=24) with 12 bivalents observed, most of which were closed, and a regular meiosis.