Assessment of ICCV 2?×?JG 62 chickpea progenies shows sensitivity of reproduction to salt stress and reveals QTL for seed yield and yield components

Salinity is a complex abiotic stress and understanding the physiological and genetic basis of salinity tolerance is a prerequisite for improving existing crop cultivars. Experiments were undertaken using 126 recombinant inbred lines from a cross between JG 62 (tolerant) and ICCV 2 (sensitive) to characterize traits related to seed yield differences under saline conditions and to map quantitative trait loci (QTL). The population segregated for flowering time and entries were separated into ??early?? and ??late?? phenology groups to undertake the analysis. In both groups seed yield varied under salinity, with seed number being the most closely related trait to yield. In contrast, seed yield was not related to 100-seed weight or flowering time. Shoot dry weight was positively correlated with seed yield in the early entries only, but had no significant relationship with seed number. The higher sensitivity to salinity of the early entries was related both to a smaller biomass and lesser seed number under saline conditions. A QTL for seed yield under saline conditions was found in linkage group 3 in the late group, and a cluster of QTL for seed yield components in linkage group 6, including a QTL for seed number which explained 37% of the variation. In contrast, no QTL for seed yield was found in the early group, but a QTL for seed number under saline conditions was found. These data indicate that salinity tolerance traits are linked to the degree of earliness in chickpea. Tolerance is determined by the success of reproductive sites in both early and late entries, which relates in part to constitutive traits, and by the capacity of maintaining growth in early-flowering lines only. This is the first report of QTL for seed yield and seed number in chickpea exposed to salinity.     

Effects of photoperiod, temperature, and host plant age on induction of reproductive diapause and development time in Danaus plexippus

Abstract 1. Diapause induction in monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus was studied using adults captured from the wild in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and individuals reared under outdoor and controlled conditions.
2. Oocyte presence in females and ejaculatory duct mass in males were used to indicate reproductive status.
3. Some wild individuals were in diapause in mid-August, and all males and females were in diapause by late August and early September respectively.
4. Individuals reared under decreasing day lengths and fluctuating temperatures were more likely to be in diapause than were individuals reared under long or short day lengths or constant temperatures.
5. Individuals fed potted old Asclepias curassavica plants were more likely to be in diapause than were those fed potted young host plants; when cuttings of Asclepias syriaca plants from the field or greenhouse pots were used, there was no effect of host plant age.
6. Extremely high temperatures increased the number of day-degrees required for development from egg to adult, while decreasing day lengths and older host plants tended to decrease the number of day-degrees required for development.
7. There appears to be a continuum of reproductive development in monarchs, with gradual declines in mean ejaculatory duct mass and oocyte production during the late summer.
8. None of the experimental treatments led to 100% diapause, and diapause was more likely to occur in monarchs subjected to more than one diapause-inducing cue.     

Ozone affects gas exchange, growth and reproductive development in Brassica campestris (Wisconsin fast plants)

Exposure to ozone (O(3)) may affect vegetative and reproductive development, although the consequences for yield depend on the effectiveness of the compensatory processes induced. This study examined the impact on reproductive development of exposing Brassica campestris (Wisconsin Fast Plants) to ozone during vegetative growth. Plants were exposed to 70 ppb ozone for 2 d during late vegetative growth or 10 d spanning most of the vegetative phase. Effects on gas exchange, vegetative growth, reproductive development and seed yield were determined. Impacts on gas exchange and foliar injury were related to pre-exposure stomatal conductance. Exposure for 2 d had no effect on growth or reproductive characteristics, whereas 10-d exposure reduced vegetative growth and reproductive site number on the terminal raceme. Mature seed number and weight per pod and per plant were unaffected because seed abortion was reduced. The observation that mature seed yield per plant was unaffected by exposure during the vegetative phase, despite adverse effects on physiological, vegetative and reproductive processes, shows that indeterminate species such as B. campestris possess sufficient compensatory flexibility to avoid reductions in seed production.     

Growth of Lettuce, Onion and Red Beet. 2. Growth Modelling

Data from a field experiment carried out on growth of lettuce,onion, and red beet were used: (a) to fit logistic, Gompertz,expolinear and ‘Scaife and Jones’ (Journal of AgriculturalScience, Cambridge86 : 83–91, 1976) functions using time,day-degrees and effective day-degrees; and (b) to test a mechanistically-basedmodel that combines the effects of potentially limiting variables,such as temperature and light, and allows for plant zone areain light interception (Aikman and Benjamin,Annals of Botany73 : 185–194, 1994). The use of day-degrees and effective day-degrees instead oftime, in general, improved the fit and gave a better estimateof growth parameters. The best fit was obtained by the Gompertzfunction for lettuce, and by the expolinear function for redbeet and for onion. The expolinear function seemed the mostreliable function in estimating the early relative growth ratewhich is the crucial value in all the mechanistic models. Thezone area model showed very good simulations for lettuce andred beet, but it requires a modification for canopy senescencein onion. Lettuce; Lactuca sativa L. var.crispa ; onion; Allium cepa L.; red beet; Beta vulgaris L. var.conditiva ; growth modelling; logistic; expolinear; Gompertz; zone area; time; day-degrees; effective day-degrees     

CONSEQUENCES OF EMERGENCE PHENOLOGY FOR REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN RANUNCULUS ADONEUS (RANUNCULACEAE)

This study explores the effects of emergence time and reproductive phenology on seed number, seed size, and seedling survival in a population of the alpine buttercup, Ranunculus adoneus. Phenology in this snow bowl population is structured by snow depth. Plants in late melting interior portions of the bowl emerged and flowered 3 to 4 wk after those in early melting zones at the bowl perimeter during the summers of 1988 and 1989. Flowering time differences of buttercups across the bowl were consistent from one year to the next. In 1988, late flowering plants tended to set fewer seeds than early flowering ones; in 1989 no decrease in seed number accompanied flowering date. Path analysis showed that equal fecundity in early and late emerging portions of the bowl population during 1989 resulted from balancing spatial and temporal constraints on seed production. Spatial aspects of habitat quality improved toward the interior of the bowl, but temporal regimes deteriorated in these late melting sites. In both 1988 and 1989 seed size declined with delays in flowering. Path analysis of 1989 data showed that because of reduced time for seed growth, plants in late melting portions of the bowl set smaller seeds than those in earlier melting zones. Differences in seed size due to parental phenology are likely to influence fitness in snow buttercups. Under natural conditions, seedlings from large seeds (>;0.65 mg) have sixfold higher survival than do those from smaller seeds (<;0.65 mg). We conclude that seedling recruitment may be infrequent in late-melting portions of the snow bowl due to delayed parental phenology.     

应用灰色关联度分析影响两系杂交稻结实率的生理因素

采用灰色关联度分析法分析了在两系杂交水稻抽穗期喷施植物生长调节物质ALA对旗叶6个生理因素的综合影响,并对各生理因素与结实率间的灰色关联度进行了分析,所得结果如下:10-70 mg/L ALA处理的旗叶生理指标值与其最优值的关联度均比对照高,其中以30 mg/LALA处理与最优值的关联度最大．在灌浆前期,影响水稻结实率的主要生理因素是可溶性蛋白质含量和叶绿素含量,在灌浆中期、灌浆后期,影响水稻结实率的主要生理因素分别是叶绿素含量和鞘糖含量、叶面积和叶绿素含量．上述结果表明,在水稻抽穗期喷施10-70 mg/L ALA,能提高旗叶的生理活性．在水稻的整个灌浆期,叶绿素含量对水稻结实率作用最强烈,是水稻籽粒灌浆动态生理因素．     

EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS ON COMPONENTS OF REPRODUCTION IN CLARKIA UNGUICULATA

The effects of stress on reproduction in Clarkia unguiculata were investigated by monitoring flower number, seed number and seed wt after subjecting plants to drought and heavy fruit loads, and by monitoring seed number after pollinating overage flowers. Fewer main-stem flowers were produced in drought stressed plants than in non-stressed plants. Drought stress did not affect overall seed numbers and seed wt in 1981, but did significantly affect seed number and wt in different flower age classes. Overall seed numbers were not affected by drought stress in 1982, but seed wt was significantly lower in plants with stressed ovules. Fewer flowers but more seeds per pollination were produced by plants in which all or ½ the flowers were pollinated than by plants in which ¼ or 1/6 of the flowers were pollinated. Seed wts were lowest in plants with a full fruit load and in fruits produced late in the growth cycle. Seed number was variable but high following pollination of flowers with 1–7 day old stigmas, and much lower in flowers with older stigmas.     

Influence of Nitrogen and Winter Climate Stresses on Calluna vulgaris(L.) Hull

Four nitrogen (N) levels, spanning those found naturally, wereestablished in Calluna vulgaris grown in containers in an oceanicclimate for 4 years on the southwest coast of Norway. EstablishedN contents of the plants were 0.7, 0.8, 1.3 and 2.5% of dryweight. Experiments comprising 5000 plants were performed inthe open and in growth chambers. In the open, dry matter accumulationand date of bud burst were recorded at the different N levels.Breaking of winter dormancy was studied under controlled conditions.In October/November, plants needed 1474 day-degrees for budburst at the lowest N level, whereas at the highest level only582 day-degrees were required. The natural start of growth inthe field was on 14 April at the highest N level and on 26 Aprilat the lowest. Freeze testing of the shoots (with the rootsprotected from frost) revealed that Calluna tolerates temperaturesas low as -15 °C as late as the beginning of April. However,plants at the two medium N levels were most tolerant of frost.During the last winter of the experiments, nearly 50% of plantsin the open died at the highest N level, whereas plants at thelower levels survived without damage. The effects of N are discussedin relation to the influence on physiological ageing of theplants, the change in nutrient balance of the plant tissue andthe subsequent increase in susceptibility to biotic and abioticstresses. Copyright 2001 Annals of Botany Company Calluna vulgaris, climate stress, growth initiation, nitrogen     

哈尔滨地区大猿叶虫发育历期与生物学特性

在哈尔滨对白菜上的大猿叶虫Colaphellus bowringi Baly的生活史和生物学习性进行观察研究。结果表明,大猿叶虫在哈尔滨地区绝大多数个体1年发生1代,少部分个体1年发生2代。主要以成虫入土在2～27cm土层中滞育越冬。越冬成虫翌年4月下旬开始出土活动。第1代发生在5上旬至7月上旬,第2代发生于6月中旬至7月中旬。所有成虫在7月下旬以后均滞育越冬。在25℃条件下,雌虫产卵期为6～55d,平均为30.95d,单雌平均产卵量为454.9粒。在25℃各虫态的发育历期为:卵(4.46±0.33)d,幼虫(8.22±0.26)d,蛹(4.17±0.22)d。各虫态发育起点温度卵为10.80℃,幼虫为10.95℃,蛹为9.79℃;有效积温卵为64.82日.度,幼虫为117.37日.度,蛹为64.36日.度。     

Determinants of seed production in Geranium maculatum

Summary We experimentally examined factors limiting seed production in two populations of the perennial woodland herb Geranium maculatum in central Illinois, USA. To test the pollinator-limitation hypothesis, we compared the seed production of plants whose flowers were supplementarily pollinated with outcross pollen to that of control plants receiving natural pollination only. To test if fruit production by early flowers suppresses fruit and seed formation by late flowers, a third group of plants was prevented from producing seed from the first 50% of the flowers to open (stigmas were excised at flower opening). Finally, to test if seed maturation and flower initiation are correlated with photosynthetic capacity, we performed a defoliation experiment in which either the stem leaves within the inflorescence, the stem leaves below the inflorescence, or the rosette leaves were removed during late flowering. Plants that reccived supplemental pollination produced 1.5–1.6 times more seeds than control plants. We found no difference between hand-pollinated plants and controls in mortality, flowering frequency or number of flowers produced in the year following the experiment. In both control and hand-pollinated plants, the fruit set and total seed production of early flowers were more than twice as high as those of late flowers. In one of the two populations, plants whose early flowers were prevented from setting seed produced significantly more seeds from their late flowers than did control plants. Seed predation was low and did not differ between early and late flowers. Leaf removal did not affect seed number or size in the year of defoliation, nor did it reduce survival or flower production in the subsequent year. This suggests that the plants were able to compensate for a partial defoliation by using stored resources or by increasing photosynthetic rates in the remaining leaves. Taken together, the results demonstrate that both pollinator activity and resource levels influence patterns of seed production in G. maculatum. While seed production was pollinatorlimited in both populations, a seasonal decline in resource availability was apparently responsible for the low seed production by late flowers.     

Proteomic analysis of rice (Oryza sativa) seeds during germination

Although seed germination is a major subject in plant physiological research, there is still a long way to go to elucidate the mechanism of seed germination. Recently, functional genomic strategies have been applied to study the germination of plant seeds. Here, we conducted a proteomic analysis of seed germination in rice (Oryza sativa indica cv. 9311) - a model monocot. Comparison of 2-DE maps showed that there were 148 proteins displayed differently in the germination process of rice seeds. Among the changed proteins, 63 were down-regulated, 69 were up-regulated (including 20 induced proteins). The down-regulated proteins were mainly storage proteins, such as globulin and glutelin, and proteins associated with seed maturation, such as "early embryogenesis protein" and "late embryogenesis abundant protein", and proteins related to desiccation, such as "abscisic acid-induced protein" and "cold-regulated protein". The degradation of storage proteins mainly happened at the late stage of germination phase II (48 h imbibition), while that of seed maturation and desiccation associated proteins occurred at the early stage of phase II (24 h imbibition). In addition to alpha-amylase, the up-regulated proteins were mainly those involved in glycolysis such as UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, fructokinase, phosphoglucomutase, and pyruvate decarboxylase. The results reflected the possible biochemical and physiological processes of germination of rice seeds.     

西藏飞蝗的生物学特性

西藏飞蝗Locusta.migratoria tibetensis Chen在四川甘孜州1年发生1代,某些地方(乡城县)1年发生不完整的2代,即以卵越冬,翌年3月下旬开始孵化出土,4月中、下旬为孵化盛期,1~3龄始盛期为4月中旬~5月中旬,高峰期为5月下旬,7月上旬初始羽化,7月下旬~8月上旬为羽化盛期,8月上旬始见产卵,8月下旬~9月上旬为产卵盛期,第1代成虫较早产下的卵块在条件适宜的情况下可于当年9月上旬孵化出土,但孵化出的蝗蝻不能越冬。该虫卵、全蝻期及全世代的发育起点温度分别为14.2,16.1,14.6℃,有效积温为179.1日.度、360.0日.度、787.8日.度。在18,21,24,27和30℃等5种恒温条件下其平均世代历期214.4,133.3,79.2,66.3和50.7d。     

Predispersal seed predation on five Piper species in tropical rainforest

Absolute number of seeds lost to predispersal seed predators and proportion of total seeds lost per infructescence were compared among five Costa Rican Piper species of different annual fecundities. Mean seed number and mean seed size in the five species were negatively correlated. The impact of predation on these species was inversely related to the number of seeds they produced. The two early successional species had very high fecundities, a combination of many seeds per infructescence, many infructescences per plant, and, in one species, year-round reproduction. Although seed predators destroyed as many or more seeds of these early successional species than they did of the less fecund, late successional species, this loss accounted for a relatively minor proportion (9 and 12%) of the seeds of the early successional species. In contrast, late successional species produced fewer, larger seeds in a smaller number of infructescences and were not continually in fruit. One of these species, which produced intermediate numbers of intermediately sized seeds, lost 30% of the seeds in each infructescence on average. Seed predators destroyed a larger proportion (65 and 76%) of the seeds per infructescence in the two species with fewest seeds per infructescence. High levels of insect damage in these late successional species caused many of their infructescences to abort prematurely. Taken together these factors resulted in annual fecundities several orders of magnitude smaller in shade-tolerant Piper species than the annual fecundities of shade-intolerant, early successional species. Seedlings of the two early successional species were common in large gaps and other sunny clearings and seedlings of the species with 30% seed loss were occasional, whereas no seedlings were seen of the two species with the highest proportional seed loss, suggesting that seed predation on the latter species may limit seedling recruitment.     

Functional traits associated with plant colonizing and competitive ability influence species abundance during secondary succession: Evidence from subalpine meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

It is widely recognized that colonists and competitors dominate early and late succession, respectively, with selected species having different colonizing and competitive abilities. However, it remains unknown whether colonizing and competitive ability can determine species abundance directly over succession. The data for five key functional traits were collected (photosynthesis rate, leaf turgor loss point, leaf proline content, seed mass, and seed germination rate), which are direct indicators of plant competitive and colonizing abilities including growth, drought and cold stress resistance, dispersal, and seed dormancy. Here, we tested the effects of colonizing and competitive abilities on species abundance, by employing a linear mixed‐effects model to examine the shifts in the relationship between species abundance and these five colonization and competition‐related traits in species‐rich subalpine secondary successional meadows (at 4, 6, 10, 13 years of age, and undisturbed, respectively) of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. The abundant species at the early‐successional meadows tend to have high photosynthetic rate, high leaf proline content, low seed mass, and seed germination rate for having high colonizing ability, but low competitive ability. By contrast, late‐successional communities tend to be dominated by species with high competitive ability, but low colonizing ability, indicated by large seeds, high seed germination rate, low photosynthetic rate, and leaf proline content. The observed directional shifts in the relationships between traits (photosynthetic rate, leaf proline content, seed mass, and seed germination rate) and abundance with successional age, bring two new understandings of community assembly during succession of subalpine meadows in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. First, it discloses that the differences in species abundance over succession can be directly attributed to differences in colonizing and competitive abilities of different species. Second, it expands the effects of multiple life historical differences including growth, resource competitive ability, cold stress resistance, dispersal, and seed germination strategy, represented by functional traits on community assembly along succession, that is, from the species to the community level.     

Pheromone-trap catch in relation to the phenology of codling moth (Cydia pomonella)

Relationships between a pheromone-trap catch, adult emergence and penetration of fruit by first-instar larvae of Cydia pomonella were investigated from 1975 to 1977 in an orchard in South West England. For the first generation the times of moth emergence and catch in the pheromone trap were not significantly different; nor were male and female emergence times. The catch of moths of the first generation in the pheromone trap anticipated the appearance of their larvae in the fruit by 140–169 day-degrees > 10 °C. Eggs hatched after 94 day-degrees in the laboratory but in the orchard, wind and sunshine modified the microclimate so that the number of day-degrees required for egg development, as measured by standard meteorological instruments, was affected by wind and sunshine but development lasted on average about 90 day-degrees. This indicated a lag of 50–80 day-degrees between the curves for trap catch and oviposition: the pre-oviposition period in the orchard was shorter than expected from laboratory studies. In 1975 and 1976, some larvae developed to produce a second generation of moths which gave rise to a second generation of eggs and larvae, after an interval of 161 day-degrees in 1975, but only 41 day-degrees in 1976, indicating that in 1976 some eggs were laid before moths of the second generation were trapped. These results indicate that the first insecticidal spray against first-generation larvae should be applied about 140 day-degrees after the start of the reference week in which five moths of the spring brood are caught per trap. A second spray, if required to maintain insecticidal cover, should be applied about 100 day-degrees later. A spray should be applied against second-generation larvae immediately after the reference week for second-generation moths.     

Altering Developmental Trajectories in Mice by Restricted Index Selection

A restricted index selection experiment on mice was carried out for 14 generations on rate of early postnatal development (growth rate from birth to 10 days of age) vs. rate of development much later in ontogeny (growth rate from 28 to 56 days of age). Early rate of development (E) approximates hyperplasia (changes in cell number) and later rate (L) reflects hypertropy (changes in cell size). The selection criteria were as follows: E+L0 was selected to increase early body weight gain while holding late body weight gain constant; E-L0 was selected to decrease early body gain while holding late gain constant; E0L+ was selected to increase late gain holding early gain constant; and E0L- was selected to decrease late gain holding early gain constant. After 14 generations of selection, significant divergence among lines has occurred and the changes in the growth trajectories are very close to expectation. The genetic and developmental bases of complex traits are discussed as well as the concept of developmental homoplasy.     

DISTANCE BETWEEN MATES AFFECTS SEEDLING CHARACTERS IN A POPULATION OF IMPATIENS CAPENSIS (BALSAMINACEAE)

We tested for the presence of an optimal outcrossing distance in a population of Impatiens capensis, an annual herb that possesses a mixed mating system, by measuring fitness components for offspring of parents that were separated by distances of 2, 10, or 50 m. Heavier seed weights and later seed maturation enhanced probabilities of emergence and subsequent survival, but emergence and survival were unaffected by outcrossing distance. Path analysis showed that most characteristics of seeds and seedlings were positively correlated. Effects of maternal family were strong through the first month of growth. Analyses of covariance reveal that, as anticipated, the effects of maternal family, seed weight, and seed maturation date declined over time. Seeds that were produced late in the season were heavier than early seeds, and late seeds germinated at later dates than early seeds. Surprisingly, although late germination dates were associated with taller plants after 1 and 3 months of growth, late germination resulted in lighter dry weights at maturity. The distance between parents had a negative direct effect on seed weight but a positive effect on height after 1 month. Height at 1 month responded positively to outcrossing distance and negatively to the square of distance when seed weight, collection date, and maternal family were held constant. This implies an optimal outcrossing distance for height at 1 month, which we estimate as 29 m using a quadratic procedure. However, path analysis suggests that the apparent optimum is due to a negative correlation between the interparent distance and seed weight.     

冬季作物种植对双季稻根系酶活性及形态指标的影响

基于湖南长沙7a定位试验,以冬闲为对照,研究了冬种马铃薯、紫云英及油菜为前茬作物对早、晚稻根系酶活性、形态指标及产量的影响.结果表明,与冬闲相比,冬种作物后早、晚稻根系丙二醛(MDA)含量增加,但其根系的活性氧清除能力更强(SOD、POD和CAT活性高),能够在一定程度上缓解膜脂过氧化作用带来的伤害;冬种不同作物对早晚稻根系形态的影响表现不一.冬种马铃薯和紫云英处理在早稻生育后期的根系优势明显,并能在一定程度上促进晚稻根系生长,双季稻总产量较对照分别增加6.29％和7.76％,而冬种油菜抑制了晚稻根系生长,导致晚稻产量及双季稻总产分别降低6.31％和1.96％;相关性分析表明,灌浆期较高的根长、根数、根体积和根表面积是冬种作物改善双季稻产量的主要原因.综合来看,冬种马铃薯和紫云英对于促进双季稻根系生长,提高稻谷产量具有重要作用,而冬种油菜则不利于提高双季稻的稻谷生产力.     

藜异型性种子后代植株盐响应生理机制

种子异型性是植物适应异质生境的重要策略,异型性对后代植株的影响值得深入研究。以具有种子异型性的荒漠植物藜为材料,测定了异型种子后代植株在不同浓度(0,50,300 mmol/L)Na Cl胁迫下的表型及与耐盐相关的生理指标变化,探讨了异型种子后代植株之间对盐胁迫生理响应机制的差异。结果显示,褐色种子后代植株在各浓度盐胁迫下的表型(株高、分枝数)均优于黑色种子。对其生理指标测定结果显示,褐色种子植株除电导率显著低于黑色种子植株外,氧化损伤指标(氧自由基、丙二醛含量)及抗氧化酶(SOD、CAT、POX)活性、抗氧化剂(Car、As A)含量、渗调物质(可溶性糖、脯氨酸、甜菜碱)含量等在两者之间无明显差异。研究结果暗示,藜异型性种子后代植株的早期生长表型在盐胁迫下所产生的差异可能是由种子胚的大小及萌发快慢差异所导致,而这种差异并未引起盐胁迫下两种植株抗氧化系统响应的差异。     

Large plant size counteracts early seed predation during the extended flowering season of a Silene uniflora (Caryophyllaceae) population

A population of the alvar race of the perennial herb, Silene uniflora (Caryophyllaceae), which grows on thin soils in open alvar habitats on the Baltic island of Oland SE Sweden, was found to have an extended and more or less bimodal flowering phenology Large individuals produced flowers during both periods, while small, and presumably young, individuals only produced flowers in either of the two periods, or in part of both In the early flowering period plants were heavily infested by the seed-predatory larvae of a noctuid moth, Hadena confusa , but in the late flowering period only a small proportion of the fruits was attacked by the seed predators The proportion of flowers developing into fruits was consistently high throughout the season Both the number of seeds per capsule and the mass of seeds decreased over the flowering season However, the germination success of early and late seeds did not differ Thus, although differing in number of seeds, both early and late flowers contributed to individual reproductive success Large individuals started to flower early in the season and despite their high loss of seeds in the early part of the summer they contributed a larger number of seeds to the seed pool than smaller and later-flowering individuals Although selection was acting to favour later flowering during a year with high early seed predation, consistency of date of flower initiation and of relative predation impact on individuals across years was low suggesting that recurrent selection by seed predators is weak Seed predation, although heavy, is therefore judged to be unlikely to cause a significant evolutionary response on flowering phenology in this plant