Ploidy level analyses: CTPS beet 2023 campaign draws to a close

Every year, the Physical Analysis Laboratory receives around a hundred samples of sugar and fodder beet as part of their DUS study, to check the level of ploidy predicted by cytology analyses.

Once all the batches have been germinated, the seedlings taken undergo various chemical treatments to block cell division and contract the chromosomes. These preparatory stages are followed by chromosome counting by microscopy on 25 to 50 slides per sample. The number of chromosomes observed and counted corresponds to a level of ploidy. For example, a beet has 18 chromosomes when it is diploid. This year, 2725 slides will have been counted for the beet campaign.