Adaptive divergence in shoot gravitropism creates hybrid sterility in an Australian wildflower.

ABSTRACT: Natural selection is responsible for much of the diversity we see in nature. Just as it drives the evolution of new traits, it can also lead to new species. However, it is unclear whether natural selection conferring adaptation to local environments can drive speciation through the evolution of hybrid sterility between populations. Here, we show that adaptive divergence in shoot gravitropism, the ability of a plant's shoot to bend upwards in response to the downward pull of gravity, contributes to the evolution of hybrid sterility in an Australian wildflower, Senecio lautus We find that shoot gravitropism has evolved multiple times in association with plant height between adjacent populations inhabiting contrasting environments, suggesting that these traits have evolved by natural s

SUBMITTER: Wilkinson MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8617494 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature