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17 pages, 2622 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reproductive Biology and Breeding Systems of Two Opisthopappus Endemic and Endangered Species on the Taihang Mountains

by Yiling Wang, Yafei Lan, Hang Ye, Xiaolong Feng, Qiyang Qie, Li Liu and Min Chai

Plants 2023, 12(10), 1954; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101954 - 11 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1529

Abstract

Opisthopappus is a perennial, endemic herb of the Taihang Mountains in China. Two species of this genus (O. longilobus and O. taihangensis) are important wild genetic resources for Asteraceae; however, their reproductive biology has been lacking until now. This study is [...] Read more.

Opisthopappus is a perennial, endemic herb of the Taihang Mountains in China. Two species of this genus (O. longilobus and O. taihangensis) are important wild genetic resources for Asteraceae; however, their reproductive biology has been lacking until now. This study is the first detailed report on the reproductive biology and breeding systems of two Opisthopappus species. Through field observations, the floral syndromes of O. longilobus and O. taihangensis were found to possess a similar pattern, although O. taihangensis has a relatively larger capitulum, more ray ligules, and disc florets. The flowers of both O. longilobus and O. taihangensis are protandrous, a character that can prevent autogamy at the single-flower level, and insects are required for pollination. Further, brightly ligules, brightly bisexual florets, unique fragrance, and amount of nectar suggest that these species propagate via an entomophilous pollination system. Hymenopteran and Diptera species were observed as the effective pollinators for these two species. The outcrossing index, pollen/ovule ratio and the results of hand pollination indicated that these Opisthopappus species might have a mixed mating system that combines cross-fertilization and partial self-fertilization for O. longilobus and O. taihangensis, outcrossing predominated in the breeding system, while self-pollination played an important role in seed production when insect pollination was unavailable, particularly in a harsh environment, such as the Taihang Mountains cliffs. Meanwhile, O. taihangensis might better adapt to severe surroundings with relatively complex floral syndromes, specifically through the attraction of visiting insects and a high seed set rate. The above results not only provide reference information toward a better understanding of the survival strategies of O. longilobus and O. taihangensis in the Taihang Mountains but also lay a solid foundation for further exploring the molecular mechanisms that underly their adaptation under cliff environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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25 pages, 4503 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variability of Reproduction Pathways in the Central-European Populations of Hawthorns with Emphasis on Triploids

by Vladislav Kolarčik, Valéria Kocová, Vlastimil Mikoláš, Lenka Mártonfiová, Nikola Hajdučeková and Pavol Mártonfi

Plants 2022, 11(24), 3497; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11243497 - 13 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1164

Abstract

The role of apomeiosis, parthenogenesis, and pseudogamy in the asexual reproduction of some plant groups has not been fully elucidated in relation to species diversification. Quantitative analyses of seed origin may help in gaining better understanding of intercytotypic interactions. Asexual reproduction associated with [...] Read more.

The role of apomeiosis, parthenogenesis, and pseudogamy in the asexual reproduction of some plant groups has not been fully elucidated in relation to species diversification. Quantitative analyses of seed origin may help in gaining better understanding of intercytotypic interactions. Asexual reproduction associated with polyploidy and frequent hybridization plays a crucial role in the evolutionary history of the genus Crataegus in North America. In Europe, the genus represents a taxonomically complex and very difficult species group not often studied using a modern biosystematic approach. We investigated the reproduction pathways in mixed-cytotype populations of selected taxa of Crataegus in eastern Slovakia, Central Europe. The investigated accessions were characterized by seed production data and the ploidy level of mature plants as well as the embryo and endosperm tissues of their seeds determined via flow cytometry. Diploid and polyploid hawthorns reproduce successfully; they also produce high numbers of seeds. An exception is represented by an almost sterile triploid. Diploids reproduce sexually. Polyploids shift to asexual reproduction, but pseudogamy seems to be essential for regular seed development. In rare cases, fertilization of unreduced gametes occurs, which offers opportunity for the establishment of new polyploid cytotypes between diploid sexuals and polyploid asexuals. Opposite to sexual diploids, triploids are obligate, and tetraploids almost obligate apomicts. Apomixis is considered to help stabilize individual weakly differentiated polyploid microspecies. Pseudogamy is a common feature and usually leads to unbalanced maternal to paternal contribution in the endosperm of triploid accessions. Parental contribution to endosperm gene dosage is somehow relaxed in triploids. Our Crataegus plant system resembles reproduction in the diploids and polyploids of North American hawthorns. Our data provide support for the hypothesis that polyploidization, shifts in reproduction modes, and hybridization shape the genus diversity also in Central Europe. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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15 pages, 11142 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reproductive Biology of the Two Varieties of Anacyclus pyrethrum L.—Anacyclus pyrethrum var. pyrethrum (L.) Link and Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (Ball.) Maire—An Endemic Endangered Species

by Fatima Zahra Jawhari, Hamada Imtara, Abdelfattah El Moussaoui, Hind Khalis, Imane Es-Safi, Omkulthom Al Kamaly, Asmaa Saleh, Mohammad Khalid Parvez, Raja Guemmouh and Amina Bari

Plants 2022, 11(17), 2299; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11172299 - 02 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1893

Abstract

The reproductive system is essential for the structuring and transmission of genetic diversity. Understanding the reproductive biology of threatened endemic species is considered to be a crucial element for the implementation of effective conservation strategies. Given the lack of information and the insufficient [...] Read more.

The reproductive system is essential for the structuring and transmission of genetic diversity. Understanding the reproductive biology of threatened endemic species is considered to be a crucial element for the implementation of effective conservation strategies. Given the lack of information and the insufficient state of knowledge on the reproductive system of Anacyclus pyrethrum L., a threatened medicinal species endemic to Morocco, we are the first to study the reproductive biology of two varieties of Anacyclus pyrethrum L.: Anacyclus pyrethrum var. pyrethrum (L.) Link and Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (Ball.) Maire. The reproductive biology of the two varieties was examined in detail by studying the development of the inflorescence, phenology of flowering, breeding system, pollinators, production, and seed dispersal. The experimental results described in this work suggest that Anacyclus pyrethrum L. is a gynomonic species, with a mixed autogamy–allogamy reproductive regime with a high predominance of allogamy. It appears to be partially self-incompatible, with allogamy rates for Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (Ball.) Maire and Anacyclus pyrethrum var. pyrethrum (L.) Link of 78.70% and 79.01%, respectively. It depends on pollination vectors to produce a large number of seeds. This study on the breeding system of Anacyclus pyrethrum L. provides a tool for developing management strategies and adequate conservation measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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19 pages, 2940 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spotting the Targets of the Apospory Controller TGS1 in Paspalum notatum

by Carolina Marta Colono, Maricel Podio, Lorena Adelina Siena, Juan Pablo A. Ortiz, Olivier Leblanc and Silvina Claudia Pessino

Plants 2022, 11(15), 1929; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11151929 - 26 Jul 2022

Viewed by 1340

Abstract

Sexuality and apomixis are interconnected plant reproductive routes possibly behaving as polyphenic traits under the influence of the environment. In the subtropical grass Paspalum notatum, one of the controllers of apospory, a main component of gametophytic apomixis reproduction, is TRIMETHYLGUANOSINE SYNTHASE 1 [...] Read more.

Sexuality and apomixis are interconnected plant reproductive routes possibly behaving as polyphenic traits under the influence of the environment. In the subtropical grass Paspalum notatum, one of the controllers of apospory, a main component of gametophytic apomixis reproduction, is TRIMETHYLGUANOSINE SYNTHASE 1 (TGS1), a multifunctional gene previously associated with RNA cleavage regulation (including mRNA splicing as well as rRNA and miRNA processing), transcriptional modulation and the establishment of heterochromatin. In particular, the downregulation of TGS1 induces a sexuality decline and the emergence of aposporous-like embryo sacs. The present work was aimed at identifying TGS1 target RNAs expressed during reproductive development of Paspalum notatum. First, we mined available RNA databases originated from spikelets of sexual and apomictic plants, which naturally display a contrasting TGS1 representation, to identify differentially expressed mRNA splice variants and miRNAs. Then, the role of TGS1 in the generation of these particular molecules was investigated in antisense tgs1 sexual lines. We found that CHLOROPHYLL A-B BINDING PROTEIN 1B-21 (LHC Ib-21, a component of the chloroplast light harvesting complex), QUI-GON JINN (QGJ, encoding a MAP3K previously associated with apomixis) and miR2275 (a meiotic 24-nt phasi-RNAs producer) are directly or indirectly targeted by TGS1. Our results point to a coordinated control exercised by signal transduction and siRNA machineries to induce the transition from sexuality to apomixis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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17 pages, 1082 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variation of Residual Sexuality Rates along Reproductive Development in Apomictic Tetraploids of Paspalum

by Anna Verena Reutemann, Ana Isabel Honfi, Piyal Karunarathne, Fabiana Eckers, Diego Hernan Hojsgaard and Eric Javier Martínez

Plants 2022, 11(13), 1639; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131639 - 21 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1965

Abstract

Most apomictic plants are facultative, maintaining the ability to reproduce sexually at different frequencies depending on the taxa, ploidy, and reproductive stage. In this context, Paspalum species are good model systems for studies evaluating the varying levels of apomixis expression. We aimed to [...] Read more.

Most apomictic plants are facultative, maintaining the ability to reproduce sexually at different frequencies depending on the taxa, ploidy, and reproductive stage. In this context, Paspalum species are good model systems for studies evaluating the varying levels of apomixis expression. We aimed to identify, in apomictic tetraploid Paspalum species, the degree of apomixis and residual sexuality in three stages of reproductive development, and if their expression varies along them in order to predict their realized impact on the genetic diversity of future generations. Three main stages in the reproductive development (i.e., ovule, seed, and progeny) were studied in tetraploids from populations of P. cromyorhizon and P. maculosum. Mature ovules were studied using cytoembryological analysis, seeds by flow cytometry, and progeny tests with molecular markers. The expression of sexuality and apomixis was compared in each stage. We observed a decline in expression of sexual reproduction through the consecutive stages, jointly with an increase of apomixis expression. Both species showed at least one tetraploid plant capable of producing progeny by sexual means. These small rates of sexually originated progeny prove the ability of apomictic plants to produce low levels of genetic variation through rare events of sexuality. This study also demonstrates the importance of analyzing different reproductive stages in order to get a whole picture of the reproductive outcomes in plant evolution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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16 pages, 1885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Global Gene Expression in Maize (Zea mays) Vegetative and Reproductive Tissues That Differ in Accumulation of Starch and Sucrose

by Cristal López-González, Sheila Juárez-Colunga, Samuel Trachsel, Nayelli Marsch-Martínez, C. Stewart Gillmor and Axel Tiessen

Plants 2022, 11(3), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11030238 - 18 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2126

Abstract

Carbon allocation between vegetative and reproductive tissues impacts cereal grain production. Despite great agricultural importance, sink–source relationships have not been fully characterized at the early reproductive stages in maize. Here, we quantify the accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates and patterns of gene expression in [...] Read more.

Carbon allocation between vegetative and reproductive tissues impacts cereal grain production. Despite great agricultural importance, sink–source relationships have not been fully characterized at the early reproductive stages in maize. Here, we quantify the accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates and patterns of gene expression in the top internode of the stem and the female inflorescence of maize at the onset of grain filling (reproductive stage R1). Top internode stem and female inflorescence tissues of the Puma maize inbred line were collected at reproductive stage R1 (without pollination) and non-structural carbohydrates were quantified by spectrophotometry. The female inflorescence accumulated starch at higher levels than the top internode of the stem. Global mRNA transcript levels were then evaluated in both tissues by RNA sequencing. Gene expression analysis identified 491 genes differentially expressed between the female inflorescence and the top stem internode. Gene ontology classification of differentially expressed genes showed enrichment for sucrose synthesis, the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis, and transmembrane transporters. Our results suggest that sugar transporters play a key role in sugar partitioning in the maize stem and reveal previously uncharacterized differences between the female inflorescence and the top internode of the stem at early reproductive stages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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24 pages, 4146 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental and Genetic Factors Affecting Apospory Expressivity in Diploid Paspalum rufum

by Mariano Soliman, Marika Bocchini, Juliana Stein, Juan Pablo A. Ortiz, Emidio Albertini and Luciana Delgado

Plants 2021, 10(10), 2100; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10102100 - 04 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1667

Abstract

In angiosperms, gametophytic apomixis (clonal reproduction through seeds) is strongly associated with polyploidy and hybridization. The trait is facultative and its expressivity is highly variable between genotypes. Here, we used an F₁ progeny derived from diploid apomictic (aposporic) genotypes of Paspalum rufum [...] Read more.

In angiosperms, gametophytic apomixis (clonal reproduction through seeds) is strongly associated with polyploidy and hybridization. The trait is facultative and its expressivity is highly variable between genotypes. Here, we used an F₁ progeny derived from diploid apomictic (aposporic) genotypes of Paspalum rufum and two F₂ families, derived from F₁ hybrids with different apospory expressivity (%AES), to analyze the influence of the environment and the transgenerational transmission of the trait. In addition, AFLP markers were developed in the F₁ population to identify genomic regions associated with the %AES. Cytoembryological analyses showed that the %AES was significantly influenced by different environments, but remained stable across the years. F₁ and F₂ progenies showed a wide range of %AES variation, but most hybrids were not significantly different from the parental genotypes. Maternal and paternal genetic linkage maps were built covering the ten expected linkage groups (LG). A single-marker analysis detected at least one region of 5.7 cM on LG3 that was significantly associated with apospory expressivity. Our results underline the importance of environmental influence in modulating apospory expressivity and identified a genomic region associated with apospory expressivity at the diploid level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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13 pages, 1259 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is Plant Life-History of Biseasonal Germination Consistent in Response to Extreme Precipitation?

by Yanfeng Chen, Hui Zhang, Lingwei Zhang, Lan Zhang, Qiumei Cao, Huiliang Liu and Daoyuan Zhang

Plants 2021, 10(8), 1642; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10081642 - 10 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2117

Abstract

Future climate is projected to increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation events, and the resulting ecological consequences are often more serious than those of normal precipitation events. In particular, in desert ecosystems, due to the low frequency and strong fluctuation [...] Read more.

Future climate is projected to increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation events, and the resulting ecological consequences are often more serious than those of normal precipitation events. In particular, in desert ecosystems, due to the low frequency and strong fluctuation of extreme precipitation, the destructive consequences for desert plants caused by extreme precipitation have not received enough attention for some time. Based on statistics of extreme precipitation events (1965–2018) in the Gurbantunggut Desert, we investigated the effects of extreme precipitation (+0%, CK; +50%, W1; +100%, W2; +200%, W3; maintenance of field capacity, W4) on the plant life-history of the spring-germinated (SG) and autumn-germinated (AG) ephemeral plant Erodium oxyrhynchum by monitoring seedling emergence, survival, phenology, organ size, biomass accumulation, and allocation. The results showed that extreme precipitation caused about 2.5% seedling emergence of E. oxyrhynchum in autumn 2018 and 3.0% seedling emergence in early spring 2019, which means that most seeds may be stored in the soil or have died. Meanwhile, extreme precipitation significantly improved the survival, organ size, and biomass accumulation of SG and AG plants, and W3 was close to the precipitation threshold of SG (326.70 mm) and AG (560.10 mm) plants corresponding to the maximum individual biomass; thus, AG plants with a longer life cycle need more water for growth. Conversely, W4 caused AG plants to enter the leaf stage in advance and led to death in winter, which indicates that extreme precipitation may not be good for AG plants. Root and reproduction biomass allocation of SG and AG plants showed a significantly opposite trend under extreme precipitation treatments, which might be related to their different life-history strategies. Therefore, when only taking into account the changing trend of extreme precipitation from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6) climate projections data, we speculate that extreme precipitation may promote the growth of SG and AG plants from the beginning to the middle of this century, but extreme precipitation in autumn exceeding a certain threshold may adversely affect the survival of AG plants at the end of the century. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development and Ecology)

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