The Evolution of Correlations Among Floral Traits in an Insect-Pollinated Plant

9318388康纳所有有机体的基因组都是进化的产物。因此，要完全了解任何生物体的遗传学，就需要了解基因组如何进化的一般知识。一个关键的问题是，一组特征是如何通过进化从基因上整合成一个单一的功能单位的，例如一个器官。本研究以野生萝卜花萝卜为模型系统，对这一问题进行了研究。花是一个理想的模型器官，因为它由许多容易测量的部分组成(花瓣、雌蕊、雄蕊等)。它们必须作为一个功能单位协同工作，才能成功繁殖。这项工作的结果将提高我们对个体特征组如何在功能上整合到器官和器官系统中的理解。这项工作的另一个目标是确定导致野生萝卜成功繁殖的许多因素。野生萝卜在小杂粮作物中是一种破坏性的杂草，与许多重要的作物和杂草物种密切相关。例如，密切相关的作物包括萝卜、西兰花、卷心菜、花椰菜和油菜籽。因此，所获得的有关野生萝卜繁殖的知识应该适用于几种有害杂草的防除，以及几个重要作物的种子产量和产量的提高。

9318388 Conner The genomes of all organisms are products of evolution. A complete understanding of the genetics of any organism, therefore, requires general knowledge about how genomes evolve. A crucial question is how groups of traits become genetically integrated into a single functional unit, for example an organ, through evolution. This study will investigate this questions using the flower of wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum, as a model system. The flower is an ideal model organ because it is made up a number of easily-measured parts (petals, pistils, stamens, etc.) that must work together as a functional unit for successfully reproduction. The results of this work will improve our understanding of how groups of individual traits become functionally integrated into organs and organ systems. An additional goal of this work is to determine many of the factors responsible for successful reproduction in wild radish. Wild radish can be a destructive weed in small grain crops,and is closely related to many important crop and weed species. For example, closely related crops include radish, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,and canola. Therefore, knowledge gained concerning reproduction in wild radish should be applicable to control of several noxious weeds and improved seed production and yield in several important corps.