Evolution of flowering time in a selfing annual plant: Roles of adaptation and genetic drift.

ABSTRACT: Resurrection studies are a useful tool to measure how phenotypic traits have changed in populations through time. If these trait modifications correlate with the environmental changes that occurred during the time period, it suggests that the phenotypic changes could be a response to selection. Selfing, through its reduction of effective size, could challenge the ability of a population to adapt to environmental changes. Here, we used a resurrection study to test for adaptation in a selfing population of Medicago truncatula, by comparing the genetic composition and flowering times across 22 generations. We found evidence for evolution toward earlier flowering times by about two days and a peculiar genetic structure, typical of highly selfing populations, where some multilocus genoty

SUBMITTER: Gay L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8794724 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature