KARYOTYPE ANALYSIS IN GRAPEVINES

ABSTRACT Seven species of Vitis L., V. champinii Planchon, V. cinerea (Engelm in Gray) Engelm, V. girdiana Munson, V. labrusca L., V. rotundifolia Michaux, V. rupestres Scheels and V. vinifera L. were studied with the purpose of complementing the karyomorphometric information for further comparative analyses. Based on ideograms and on chromosome measures obtained it was possible to see several differences among the species, which were enough to distinguish at least V. champinii and V. girdiana from the others as well as V. labrusca for the lowest measures and V. rotundifolia for the highest mean value of arm ratio. It seems that during the species diversification process the most crucial differences among them did not involve drastic changes in chromosome morphometry.