The evolutionary ecology of cytonuclear interactions in flowering plants

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Many plant species carry genes in their mitochondria (cytoplasmic male sterility genes (CMS)) that disrupt pollen production and result in flowers that produce only seeds. However, most flowers produce both seeds and pollen because plants often also carry genes in their nucleus (nuclear male fertility restorers (Rf)) that turn pollen production back on. I propose to study why nuclear genes that turn pollen production back on are common in some plant populations and rare in others. I will focus on understanding why carrying these nuclear male fertility restorers is costly in some environments, but not in others. My work is significant because the distribution of nuclear genes that turn pollen production back on has implications for the evolution of reproductive isolation and thus speciation in plants. In addition, understanding interactions between cytoplasmic male sterility genes and nuclear male fertility restorers is of great practical importance because these genes allow plant breeders to produce pure hybrid seed for farmers to plant.