Dissertation Research: Inflorescence Size in Natural and Experimental Populations of Milkweeds

论文研究：马利筋自然和实验种群的花序大小

• 批准号: 8914482
• 负责人: Robert Wyatt
• 金额: $ 0.75万
• 依托单位: University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1989
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1989-12-15 至 1992-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8914482&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Inflorescence; Size; Natural

A major controversy exists regarding the adaptive significance of large floral displays in plants with consistently low fruit-set: why produce so many the extra flowers are there to produce pollen which will successfully convey male genes to other flowers. This "pollen donation hypothesis" has been a difficult issue to address. While it is reasonably easy to measure fruit or seed production, it is technically much more difficult to quantify pollen success. Recently, plant population biologists have turned to paternity exclusion analysis as a possible solution to the problem. In principle, the technique is identical to the process of using blood types to determine human paternity. The proposed research will test the pollen donation hypothesis in milkweeds (Asclepias). Genetic markers from protein electrophoresis will be used to perform a paternity exclusion analysis. This will identify seeds sired by individual plants in the population. Inflorescence size will be manipulated by removing flowers in experimental populations to determine the relationship between inflorescence size and numbers of seeds sired and numbers of seeds produced. This study will yield important basic information about the forces that shape the evolution of inflorescence size in plants. It will also provide data regarding levels of gene flow within and between populations. Finally the development of paternity analysis in plants will provide a basis for investigating breeding systems of both native and crop plants. Furthermore, should the need arise again (as in World War II) for milkweeds to be used as substitute sources of kapok and rubber, we will understand better the forces that limit fruit-set and will have new insights into how to design effective breeding programs.

一个主要的争议存在的适应意义， 在植物中的大花展示，具有一贯的低坐果率： 为什么要产生这么多的花来产生花粉 这将成功地将雄性基因传递给其他花朵。 这 "花粉捐赠假说"一直是一个难题， 地址. 虽然测量水果或种子相当容易， 产量，从技术上来说， 花粉成功。 最近，植物种群生物学家转向 亲子关系排除分析作为一种可能的解决办法， 问题. 原则上，该技术与过程相同 用血型来确定人类的亲子关系 这项拟议中的研究将测试花粉捐赠 马利筋（Asclepias）的假说。 遗传标记来自 蛋白质电泳将被用来进行亲子鉴定 排除分析 这将确定种子由个人 人口中的植物。 花序大小将被操纵 通过移除实验种群中的花朵来确定 花序大小与种子数的关系 生产的种子和数量。 这项研究将提供有关 塑造植物花序大小进化的力量。 它还将提供有关内部基因流水平的数据， 和人口之间。 最后是父权制的发展 植物中的分析将为研究 本地植物和作物的育种系统。 此外，委员会认为， 如果需要再次出现（如第二次世界大战）， 作为木棉和橡胶的替代来源，我们将 更好地理解限制结实的力量， 如何设计有效的育种计划的新见解。