Apomixis and sexuality in diploid and tetraploid accessions of Brachiaria decumbens |
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Authors: | Tamara N Naumova Michael D Hayward M Wagenvoort |
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Institution: | (1) DLO – Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research (CPRO-DLO) P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands e-mail: M.Wagenvoort@CPRO.DLO.NL Fax: +31–317–418094, NL;(2) Komarov Botanical Institute, Prof. Popov Street 2, 197376 St. Petersburg, Russia, RU;(3) Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER), Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3EB, UK, GB |
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Abstract: | Meiotic and aposporous embryo sacs and the initial steps of parthenogenetic embryogenesis and endosperm formation were investigated
in diploid and tetraploid accessions of Brachiaria decumbens in two environments, differing mainly in day length: early summer and late autumn. Both diploid and tetraploid accessions
were facultative apomicts. Di(ha)ploids showed a much lower level of apomixis (10% to15%) than tetraploids (80% to 95%). No
obligate sexual diploids were found; thus, their occurrence in natural populations is obscure. It is suggested that reproduction
in B. decumbens, as in other agamic complexes of the Paniceae tribe, in general, approximates a diploid-tetraploid-(di)haploid reproductive
cycle which does not involve triploids. The dihaploids were fertile and survived in nature. Development of the reproductive
structures depended on the environment. In autumn, in contrast to early summer, many meiotic and aposporous embryo sacs degenerated
during development, leading to a significant reduction in the proportion of parthenogenetic embryos. Whether this effect can
be attributed to day length or simply to age remains to be investigated. The ratio of aposporous to sexual embryo sacs was
relatively stable over the two seasons.
Received: 15 April 1998 / Revision accepted: 13 October 1998 |
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Keywords: | Apomixis Sexuality Day length Embryology Brachiaria Agamic complexes |
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