Mode of reproduction in Arabidopsis suecica

The breeding system of Arabidopsis suecica was investigated through genetic analysis of microsatellite segregation patterns in five controlled crosses as well as in 16 single-mother families collected in the wild. Analysis of single and two-locus segregations in the F2 generation following a cross clearly shows that A. suecica is reproduces sexually. The single-mother families show a high level of homozygosity corroborating earlier results indicating a high level of inbreeding. The high level of individual homozygosity is due both to a high level of selfing and to the underlying population structure.