Outcrossing rates and their relationship to phenology in Triticum dicoccoides

Summary Outcrossing rates (t) were estimated in natural and garden populations of wild emmer wheat, Triticum dicoccoides. The estimated t from the natural populations was 0 with the 0.95 upper confidence limit ranging from 0.102 to 0.925 depending on the genetic variation within the population. Outcrossing rates for two genotype classes of this species grown in a common garden were 0.0077 and 0.0018. The difference in Outcrossing rates between the two genotypes is ascribed to phenological differences and hence different available pollen pools. Phenological displacement is discussed as a possible bias in the estimation of outcrossing rates in both predominantly selfing and outcrossing plants.