Isolation, mapping, and characterization of two barley multiovary mutants

Mutations in homeotic genes disturb the spatial and temporal patterns of development, often leading to the appearance of tissues in abnormal locations. Many homeotic genes, involved in flower development, code for proteins with a highly conserved domain called the MADS box, which acts as a sequence-specific DNA binding protein. Two floral development mutants were isolated from a fast neutron irradiated M₂ barley population. The phenotypes are multiovary, that is, stamens replaced with carpels, designated mo7a, and stamens replaced with carpels and lodicules converted to leaflike structures, designated mo6b. These phenotypes resemble the Arabidopsis mutants APETA-LA3 (AP3) and PISTILATA (PI). The mo6b and mo7a mutants were mapped to the centromeric region of chromosome 1 (7H) and to the telomeric region of chromosome 3 (3H), respectively.