Inbreeding Depression and the Evolution of Dioecy in Higher Plants

9981803 schultz本项目是对高等植物近亲繁殖抑制在性别进化中的作用进行理论研究，主要有两个目标：(1)建立一个普遍的、可实证检验的植物群体近亲繁殖抑制理论；(2)将这一理论应用于近亲繁殖在雌雄同体到两性分离的进化途径中的作用问题。使用的方法包括数值组合分析、并行规划和基于个体的随机建模。这些研究将阐明我们对高等植物进化机制研究中涉及的四个主要领域的遗传机制的理解：从雌雄同体分化的进化、混合交配物种近交抑制的进化、小群体的进化遗传学和生存能力以及总体异交率的进化。研究结果也为通过控制育种、生产具有遗传活力的雄性不育系以及濒危植物种群的遗传管理来清除农业物种遗传负荷的理论和方法提供了参考。

9981803SchultzThis project is a theoretical study of the role of inbreeding depression in the evolution of gender in higher plants, and has two major goals: (1) the development of a general, empirically testable theory of inbreeding depression in plant populations, and (2) the application of this theory to the problem of the role of inbreeding in the evolutionary pathway from hermaphroditism to separate sexes. Methods used include numerical combinatorial analysis, parallel programming, and stochastic individual-based modeling.These investigations will illuminate our understanding of genetic mechanisms involved in four major areas of active research in evolutionary mechanisms in higher plants: evolution of separate sexes from hermaphroditism, evolution of inbreeding depression in mixed-mating species, evolutionary genetics and viability of small populations, and evolution of the outcrossing rate generally. The results are also pertinent to the theory and methods of purging genetic load from agricultural species through controlled breeding, the production of genetically viable male-sterile lines, and the genetic management of endangered plant populations.