Genetic architecture of quantitative flower and leaf traits in a pair of sympatric sister species of Primulina.

ABSTRACT: Flowers and leaves each represent suites of functionally interrelated traits that are often involved in species divergence and local adaptation. However, a major unresolved issue is how the individual component traits that make up a complex trait such as a flower evolve in a coordinated fashion to retain a high degree of functionality. We use a quantitative trait loci (QTL) approach to elucidate the genetic architecture of divergence in flower and leaf traits between the sister species Primulina depressa and Primulina danxiaensis, which grow sympatrically but in contrasting microhabitats. We found that flower traits were controlled by multiple QTL of small effect, while leaf physiological and morphological traits tended to be controlled by QTL of larger effect. The observed floral integrat

SUBMITTER: Feng C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6781127 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature