The development of cytogenetic research at the Plant Breeding Institute Halle/Hohenthurm with special reference to aneuploidy in cereals

The historical development of cytogenetic research in cereals performed at the Plant Breeding Institute of the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg from its beginning in 1935 until 1992 is reviewed with special reference to polyploidy, alien introgression and aneuploidy. Th. Roemer founded 1935 in the framework of his Institute a Department of Mutation Research which, in 1937, was extended to a Department of Cytogenetics with R. Freisleben as the first head. Research highlights of this period were the introduction of mutation breeding, the development of autotetraploids in barley and linseed, the discovery of the crossability genes in wheat and the performance of wheat-rye crosses. The main objective in the period between 1950-1960 was the analysis of the relationships between chromosome behaviour and seed set in tetraploid rye and octoploid triticale. Since 1961 the Cytogenetics Research Group was headed by D. Mettin; he was followed by W.D. Bluethner in 1983. The research activities in this period concerning aneuploidy in rye and wheat and alien introgression are being reviewed under the following headings: Cytogenetics of rye; work with wheat aneuploids; contributions to the 1R introgression into wheat; alien introgressions into wheat to improve disease resistance and grain quality; the exploitation of molecular markers.