Variation in pollen production and pollen viability in natural populations of gynodioecious Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima: evidence for a cost of restoration of male function?
Gynodioecious species are defined by the co-occurrence of two clearly separated categories of plants: females and hermaphrodites. The hermaphroditic category may, however, not be homogeneous, as male fitness may vary among hermaphrodites as a result of many biological factors. In this study, we analysed estimates of pollen quantity and viability in the gynodioecious Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima, comparing hermaphrodites bearing a male-fertile cytotype and hermaphrodites bearing cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) genes, which are counteracted by nuclear restoration factors. We show that: (i) pollen quantity continuously varies among restored hermaphrodites, suggesting a complex genetic determination of nuclear restoration; (ii) pollen viability was lower in restored (CMS) hermaphrodites than in non-CMS hermaphrodites, probably because of incomplete restoration in some of these plants; and (iii) pollen quantity and viability also varied among hermaphrodites with male-fertile cytotypes, possibly a result of a silent cost of restoration. Finally, we discuss the consequences of these results for pollen flow and the dynamics of gynodioecy.
Dufaÿ
M
M
Laboratoire de Génétique et Évolution des Population Végétales, UMR-CNRS 8016, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille - Lille 1, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France.
Vaudey
V
V
Laboratoire de Génétique et Évolution des Population Végétales, UMR-CNRS 8016, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille - Lille 1, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France.
DE Cauwer
I
I
Laboratoire de Génétique et Évolution des Population Végétales, UMR-CNRS 8016, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille - Lille 1, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France.
Touzet
P
P
Laboratoire de Génétique et Évolution des Population Végétales, UMR-CNRS 8016, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille - Lille 1, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France.
Cuguen
J
J
Laboratoire de Génétique et Évolution des Population Végétales, UMR-CNRS 8016, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille - Lille 1, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France.
Arnaud
J-F
JF
Laboratoire de Génétique et Évolution des Population Végétales, UMR-CNRS 8016, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille - Lille 1, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France.
D000483:Alleles; D027461:Beta vulgaris / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011058:Pollen / Q000502:physiology*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012744:Sex Ratio