Genotype-aggregated planting improves yield in Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) due to self/non-self-discrimination.

ABSTRACT: Accumulating evidence indicates that plants are capable of self/non-self and kin/stranger discrimination. Plants increase biomass of and resource allocation to roots when they encounter roots of conspecific non-self-neighbors, but not when they encounter self roots. Root proliferation usually occurs at the expense of reproductive investment. Therefore, if clonal crops are capable of self/non-self-discrimination, spatially aggregated planting with seedlings of the same genotype may decrease root proliferation and produce a higher yield than planting without considering seedling genotype. To test this idea, we grew Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke) in pot and field conditions and examined self/non-self-discrimination and the effectiveness of genotype-aggregated planting. Plan

SUBMITTER: Fukano Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6383731 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature