[Advances in researches on genetic markers of 2n gametes].

2n gametes are the result of meiotic mutation during micro- and mega-sporogenesis that bear the sporophytic rather than the gametophytic chromosome number. This paper reviewed the genetic markers including the morphologic, cytological, isozymes and DNA markers, which have been employed in the generation, inheritance, heterozygosity and marker-assisted breeding of 2n gametes based on the frequency of large pollen grains, cytological analyses, unexpected occurrence of polyploidy progeny and the associations between parents and progenies. Based on a better understanding of the genetic control and meiotic mutations responsible for 2n gametes formation, this could open up new prospects in the use of 2n gametes for plant breeding. It should be possible to use marker- assisted selection of superior 2n gametes for polyloid breeding.