Abstract: The karyotypes of 8 subspecies and 2 subtypes in maize is reported. The chromosome number of all experimental materials is 2n= 20. They are composed of metacetric and submetacentric chromosomes, and the satellites are in the short arms of 6th chromosomes,but different samples are not the same in their arm ratio,which can be divided into 3 types, i. e. A, (m-chroromosomes), A2 (sin) and A3 (st). The metacentic chromosomes in karyotypes, as a rule, are found more in rarely cultivated or primitive types than in commonly cultivated ones. The karyotype evolution of various types in maize is basically interrelated to the devoloping trend from symmetric to asymmetric.

Key words: Zea mays L, Subspecies, Karyotype, Evolution

CLC Number: 

• S513.01