Genome size and DNA base composition of geophytes: the mirror of phenology and ecology?

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Genome size is known to affect various plant traits such as stomatal size, seed mass, and flower or shoot phenology. However, these associations are not well understood for species with very large genomes, which are laregly represented by geophytic plants. No detailed associations are known between DNA base composition and genome size or species ecology.

Methods

Genome sizes and GC contents were measured in 219 geophytes together with tentative morpho-anatomical and ecological traits.

Key results

Increased genome size was associated with earliness of flowering and tendency to grow in humid conditions, and there was a positive correlation between an increase in stomatal size in species with extremely large genomes. Seed mass of geophytes was closely

SUBMITTER: Vesely P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3241587 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature