Survivorship and fecundity of the radiate and non-radiate morphs of Groundsel,Senecio vulgaris L., raised in pure stand and mixture

British populations of Senecio vulgaris frequently contain two common capitulum morphs (radiate and non-radiate) and one rare intermediate morph. The radiate morph shows a higher maternal rate of intermorph outcrossing than the non-radiate morph and due to the ‘cost of outcrossing’ should decline in frequency, ultimately to be lost from a population. To determine whether the radiate morph exhibits some inherent advantage in fitness to offset the ‘cost of outcrossing’, a comparison was made of the survivorship and fecundity of the radiate and non-radiate morphs raised in pure stands and 1 : 1 mixture at three planting dates (autumn 1983, and spring and autumn 1984). Plants in stands established in spring 1984 were harvested in late August 1984, while plants in stands established in autumn overwintered before being harvested the following summer. In spring planted stands, the two morphs exhibited equivalent survivorships, while the fecundity of the non-radiate morph tended to be greater than the radiate morph. In autumn planted stands, survivorship and Net Reproductive Output (survivorship × fecundity) of the non-radiate morph was greater than that of the radiate morph in mixture, and also in pure stands established in 1983. In no instance was the Net Reproductive Output of either morph significantly greater in mixture than in pure stand. Density had a contrasting effect on morph survivorship and fecundity in the spring and autumn 1984 planted stands. Whereas, in spring stands, fecundity was subject to compensating density dependent regulation while survivorship was density independent, the opposite trend was observed in autumn planted stands. It is concluded that under the conditions of the experiments, the radiate morph exhibited no fitness advantage which might offset the inherent disadvantage it suffers in natural polymorphic populations due to the ‘cost of outcrossing’.     

The Genetics of Evolutionary Change in Senecio vulgaris L.: A QTL Mapping Approach

Abstract: The cosmopolitan weed Senecio vulgaris var. vulgaris is likely to have originated from the non-weedy S. vulgaris ssp. denticulatus from which it differs by showing no seed dormancy, by completing its life cycle from germination to seed formation much faster and by lacking ray florets. An F2 generation of 120 individuals obtained through selfing of one hybrid individual between var. vulgaris and ssp. denticulatus was used to construct a linkage map based on RAPD polymorphisms and the presence or absence of ray florets. This linkage map was used for a QTL analysis of 12 characters distinguishing the two taxa. For seven of these 12 characters, three significant QTLs could be found. One of these QTLs controls the speed of development, height of plants, leaf number, number of lateral branches and number of outer involucral bracts. A second QTL, located in the same linkage group, coincides with the ray floret locus and controls the number of disc florets. Plant height and leaf number are controlled by a third QTL in a different linkage group. Considering earlier evidence on the genetics of seed dormancy, it is argued that probably only three chromosomal regions, or even genetic loci, control seed dormancy, speed of development and presence or absence of ray florets as the ecologically most important differences between var. vulgaris and ssp. denticulatus. These findings have important implications for the genetics of evolutionary change and speciation.     

长梗千里光中的呋喃雅槛兰型倍半萜

长梗千里光（ＳｅｎｅｃｉｏｋａｓｃｈｋａｒｏｖｉｉＣ．Ｗｉｎｋｌ．）为菊科千里光属的多年生草本植物,广布于甘肃省东南部的灌木丛中及林边草地,四川、青海也有分布［１］。其化学成分未见报道。千里光属植物的主要成分是双稠吡咯啶生物碱和呋喃雅槛兰型倍半萜［２,３］。前者具有抗癌活性,但也有致癌、致畸等毒性［４］。我们从长梗千里光的地上部分分离到两个呋喃雅槛兰型倍半萜（１）和（２）,通过ＵＶ、ＩＲ、ＭＳ、１Ｈ－ＮＭＲ和１３Ｃ－ＮＭＲ等光谱分析,确定化合物１为１α－乙酰氧基－６β－当归酰氧基－１０β－羟基－…     

菊状千里光中Jacaranone类化合物

从菊状千里光(Senecio laetus)全草中分离得到7个Jacaranone类化合物,它们的结构运用现代波谱技术确定为jacaranone (1);3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrojacaranone methyl ester (2);1-羟基-4-氧代-2,5-环己二烯-1-醋酸乙酯(3);2-jacaranone酰基-α-D-吡喃葡萄糖酯和2-jacaranone酰基-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖酯的混合物(4、5); l-jacaranone乙酯-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷(6);1-羟基-4-氧代-2,5-环己二烯-1-醋酸(7).首次报道菊状千里光中Jacaranone类化合物的存在,支持了国外学者认为该类化合物是千里光属植物特征次生代谢产物的推论.     

Low genetic differentiation among seasonal cohorts in Senecio vulgaris as revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis

Common groundsel, Senecio vulgaris (Asteraceae), is a highly selfing semelparous ephemeral weed that belongs to the few plant species in central Europe capable of growing, flowering and fruiting all year round. In temperate climates, flowering S. vulgaris cohorts were found to appear up to three times per year. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) molecular markers we examined temporal genetic differentiation among spring, summer and autumn cohorts at each of seven sites located in two regions in Switzerland. Strong genetic differentiation among cohorts may indicate the existence of seasonal races of S. vulgaris, reproductively isolated by nonoverlapping flowering phenologies. Analysis of molecular variance (amova) revealed that < 2.5% of the AFLP variation resided among cohorts within sites, whereas there was significant genetic differentiation among plants from different sites (15.6%) and among individuals within cohorts (81.9%). Significant genetic differentiation was also observed between the two regions. Isolation-by-distance was found on a regional scale, but not on a local scale. Gene flow was estimated to be approximately 15-fold higher among cohorts within sites than among sites. We further found, on average, similar levels of genetic diversity within the three seasonal cohorts. The results of this study demonstrate that season of growth represents a weak barrier for genetic exchange among S. vulgaris populations and does not affect molecular variance. Therefore, there is no evidence for the existence of seasonally specialized races of S. vulgaris. We discuss some implications of the results for the biological control of S. vulgaris using a native rust fungus.     

Differential efficiency of photosynthetic oxygen evolution in flashing light in triazine-resistant and triazine-susceptible biotypes of Senecio vulgaris L.

Photosynthetic oxygen evolution in response to flashing light was studied in triazine-susceptible and triazine-resistant biotypes of Senecio vulgaris L. Studies were conducted to determine if the modification of the herbicide-binding site which confers s-triazine resistance also affects the oxygen-evolving system. Oxygen evolution was measured using a Joliot-type oxygen-specific electrode on broken, stroma-free chloroplasts of both biotypes. We observed abnormal patterns of oxygen evolution in resistant chloroplasts. The S′₁ → S₂ transition is slower while the S₂ decay is faster. The S′₂ → S₃ transition, in contrast, is slightly faster in resistant chloroplasts, while the decay of the S₃ state is the same as in susceptible chloroplasts. These altered kinetics may be due to altered Q → B (B^?) electron flow in resistant chloroplasts. These results are also consistent with the hypothesis that back-reactions from the reducing (acceptor) side of Photosystem II to the oxidizing (donor) side occur with greater frequency in resistant than susceptible chloroplasts. These events are responsible for lower oxygen yield and increased ‘misses’ and ‘double hits,’ resulting in abnormal yield patterns and lower quantum yield of CO₂ fixation in resistant chloroplasts compared to the susceptible ones.