Reproductive pathways in Hieracium s.s. (Asteraceae): strict sexuality in diploids and apomixis in polyploids.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Apomixis or asexual seed reproduction is a key evolutionary mechanism in certain angiosperms providing them with reproductive assurance and isolation. Nevertheless, the frequency of apomixis is largely unknown, especially in groups with autonomous apomixis such as the diploid-polyploid genus Hieracium.

Methods

Using flow cytometric analyses, we determined the ploidy level and reproductive pathways (sexual vs. apomictic) for 7616 seeds originating from 946 plants belonging to >50 taxa sampled at 130 sites across Europe.

Key results

Diploid seeds produced by diploids were formed exclusively by the sexual pathway after double fertilization of reduced embryo sacs. An absolute majority of tri- and tetraploid seeds (99.6 %) produced by tri- and tetrapoly

SUBMITTER: Mraz P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6344222 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature