Karyotyping in plants by an image analysis system.

Automated karyotypes were obtained by an image analysis system in four species: Triticum turgidum var. durum Desf., Pisum sativum L., Pisum fulvum Sibth. & Sm. and Cicer arietinum. L. Automated and traditional karyotypes were compared and they did not prove substantially different. The automatic metaphase detection and selection was successfully adopted by setting up some parameters, such as chromosome number and chromosome area, depending on the exarnined species. Undoubtedly the automated system makes karyotyping each tested species easier and faster.