Plant ReproductionPub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2023-04-29DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00465-8
Andrea G Reutemann, Juca A B San Martin, Raúl E Pozner
{"title":"Structural and histochemical approach to the fruit and seed diversity of Cyperaceae in an evolutionary context.","authors":"Andrea G Reutemann, Juca A B San Martin, Raúl E Pozner","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00465-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00465-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>The Cyperaceae fruit consistency depends on the mesocarp. Seed structure is diverse and related to the evolutionary history of their species. A new storage tissue is described for Cyperaceae. Anatomy and histochemistry of Cyperaceae fruits (including seeds) are poorly known due to their hard, isolating tissues that prevent anatomical techniques. We performed the first, most comprehensive structural diversity characterisation of fruit and seed in Cyperaceae, accompanied by an unprecedented histochemical characterisation of seeds for this family. We analysed fruits of 29 species, included in 19 genera and 12 tribes within the subfamilies Cyperoideae and Mapanioideae, using light microscopy. Cyperaceae fruits have a pericarp with a one-cell-layered exocarp and endocarp, and a multi-cell-layered mesocarp. The mesocarp of the Mapanioideae has a spongy-fleshy outer region and a hard inner region. The mesocarp of the Cyperoideae has only a hard region. The pericarp is free from the seed coat. Cyperaceae seeds have a three-layered seed coat, an embryo with haustorial function of its scutellum, and two storage tissues: the endosperm and a putative perisperm. Nine seed morphotypes and four seed subtypes were observed among the studied species. Our results suggested that the fruit consistency is determined by the mesocarp. Both the terms \"nut\" and \"achene\" should be accepted to refer to the dry fruit of the Cyperaceae until a widely accepted fruit classification for angiosperms is proposed. The Cyperaceae seed structural diversity is high and related to the evolutionary history of the species. The \"perisperm\" is a new tissue proposed for sedge seeds, and is here characterized for the first time. The seed coat has a different structure than the one described so far for the family.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"147-170"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9365049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant ReproductionPub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2023-11-29DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00487-2
Andrea Tovar-Aguilar, Daniel Grimanelli, Gerardo Acosta-García, Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada, Jesús Agustín Badillo-Corona, Noé Durán-Figueroa
{"title":"The miRNA822 loaded by ARGONAUTE9 modulates the monosporic female gametogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana.","authors":"Andrea Tovar-Aguilar, Daniel Grimanelli, Gerardo Acosta-García, Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada, Jesús Agustín Badillo-Corona, Noé Durán-Figueroa","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00487-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00487-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>The miR822 together with of AGO9 protein, modulates monosporic development in Arabidopsis thaliana through the regulation of target genes encoding Cysteine/Histidine-Rich C1 domain proteins, revealing a new role of miRNAs in the control of megaspore formation in flowering plants. In the ovule of flowering plants, the establishment of the haploid generation occurs when a somatic cell differentiates into a megaspore mother cell (MMC) and initiates meiosis. As most flowering plants, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) undergoes a monosporic type of gametogenesis as three meiotically derived cells degenerate, and a single one-the functional megaspore (FM), divides mitotically to form the female gametophyte. The genetic basis and molecular mechanisms that control monosporic gametophyte development remain largely unknown. Here, we show that Arabidopsis plants carrying loss-of-function mutations in the miR822, give rise to extranumerary surviving megaspores that acquire a FM identity and divides without giving rise to differentiated female gametophytes. The overexpression of three miR822 putative target genes encoding cysteine/histidine-rich C1 (DC1) domain proteins, At5g02350, At5g02330 and At2g13900 results in defects equivalent to those found in mutant mir822 plants. The three miR822 targets genes are overexpressed in ago9 mutant ovules, suggesting that miR822 acts through an AGO9-dependent pathway to negatively regulate DC1 domain proteins and restricts the survival of meiotically derived cells to a single megaspore. Our results identify a mechanism mediated by the AGO9-miR822 complex that modulates monosporic female gametogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"243-258"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138453049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant ReproductionPub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2024-01-06DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00491-6
Sarah Muniz Nardeli, Luis Willian Pacheco Arge, Sinara Artico, Stéfanie Menezes de Moura, Diogo Antonio Tschoeke, Fernanda Alves de Freitas Guedes, Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa, Adriana Pinheiro Martinelli, Marcio Alves-Ferreira
{"title":"Global gene expression profile and functional analysis reveal the conservation of reproduction-associated gene networks in Gossypium hirsutum.","authors":"Sarah Muniz Nardeli, Luis Willian Pacheco Arge, Sinara Artico, Stéfanie Menezes de Moura, Diogo Antonio Tschoeke, Fernanda Alves de Freitas Guedes, Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa, Adriana Pinheiro Martinelli, Marcio Alves-Ferreira","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00491-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00491-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>Lastly, the bZIP gene family encompasses genes that have been reported to play a role in flower development, such as bZIP14 (FD). Notably, bZIP14 is essential for Flowering Locus T (FT) initiation of floral development in Arabidopsis (Abe et al. 2005). Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the world's most extensively cultivated fiber crop. However, its reproductive development is poorly characterized at the molecular level. Thus, this study presents a detailed transcriptomic analysis of G. hirsutum at three different reproductive stages. We provide evidence that more than 64,000 genes are active in G. hirsutum during flower development, among which 94.33% have been assigned to functional terms and specific pathways. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that the biological process categories of floral organ development, pollen exine formation, and stamen development were enriched among the genes expressed during the floral development of G. hirsutum. Furthermore, we identified putative Arabidopsis homologs involved in the G. hirsutum gene regulatory network (GRN) of pollen and flower development, including transcription factors such as WUSCHEL (WUS), INNER NO OUTER (INO), AGAMOUS-LIKE 66 (AGL66), SPOROCYTELESS/NOZZLE (SPL/NZZ), DYSFUNCTIONAL TAPETUM 1 (DYT1), ABORTED MICROSPORES (AMS), and ASH1-RELATED 3 (ASHR3), which are known crucial genes for plant reproductive success. The cotton MADS-box protein-protein interaction pattern resembles the previously described patterns for AGAMOUS (AG), SEEDSTICK (STK), SHATTERPROOF (SHP), and SEPALLATA3 (SEP3) homolog proteins from Arabidopsis. In addition to serving as a resource for comparative flower development studies, this work highlights the changes in gene expression profiles and molecular networks underlying stages that are valuable for cotton breeding improvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"215-227"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139111344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant ReproductionPub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2023-05-03DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00466-7
Christian D Lorenzo, Pedro García-Gagliardi, María Laura Gobbini, Santiago N Freytes, Mariana S Antonietti, Estefanía Mancini, Carlos A Dezar, Gerónimo Watson, Marcelo J Yanovsky, Pablo D Cerdán
{"title":"MsTFL1A delays flowering and regulates shoot architecture and root development in Medicago sativa.","authors":"Christian D Lorenzo, Pedro García-Gagliardi, María Laura Gobbini, Santiago N Freytes, Mariana S Antonietti, Estefanía Mancini, Carlos A Dezar, Gerónimo Watson, Marcelo J Yanovsky, Pablo D Cerdán","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00466-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00466-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>MsTFL1A is an important gene involved in flowering repression in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) which conditions not only above-ground plant shoot architecture but also root development and growth. Delayed flowering is an important trait for forage species, as it allows harvesting of high-quality forage for a longer time before nutritional values decline due to plant architecture changes related to flowering onset. Despite the relevance of delayed flowering, this trait has not yet been thoroughly exploited in alfalfa. This is mainly due to its complex genetics, sensitivity to inbreeding and to the fact that delayed flowering would be only advantageous if it allowed increased forage quality without compromising seed production. To develop new delayed-flowering varieties, we have characterized the three TERMINAL FLOWERING 1 (TFL1) family of genes in alfalfa: MsTFL1A, MsTFL1B and MsTFL1C. Constitutive expression of MsTFL1A in Arabidopsis caused late flowering and changes in inflorescence architecture, indicating that MsTFL1A is the ortholog of Arabidopsis TFL1. Overexpression of MsTFL1A in alfalfa consistently led to delayed flowering in both controlled and natural field conditions, coupled to an increase in leaf/stem ratio, a common indicator of forage quality. Additionally, overexpression of MsTFL1A reduced root development, reinforcing the role of MsTFL1A not only as a flowering repressor but also as a regulator of root development.We conclude that the precise manipulation of MsTFL1A gene expression may represent a powerful tool to improve alfalfa forage quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"229-242"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9393446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant ReproductionPub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2023-12-06DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00490-7
J Carballo, A Achilli, F Hernández, M Bocchini, M C Pasten, G Marconi, E Albertini, D Zappacosta, V Echenique
{"title":"Differentially methylated genes involved in reproduction and ploidy levels in recent diploidized and tetraploidized Eragrostis curvula genotypes.","authors":"J Carballo, A Achilli, F Hernández, M Bocchini, M C Pasten, G Marconi, E Albertini, D Zappacosta, V Echenique","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00490-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00490-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Epigenetics studies changes in gene activity without changes in the DNA sequence. Methylation is an epigenetic mechanism important in many pathways, such as biotic and abiotic stresses, cell division, and reproduction. Eragrostis curvula is a grass species reproducing by apomixis, a clonal reproduction by seeds. This work employed the MCSeEd technique to identify deferentially methylated positions, regions, and genes in the CG, CHG, and CHH contexts in E. curvula genotypes with similar genomic backgrounds but with different reproductive modes and ploidy levels. In this way, we focused the analysis on the cvs. Tanganyika INTA (4x, apomictic), Victoria (2x, sexual), and Bahiense (4x, apomictic). Victoria was obtained from the diploidization of Tanganyika INTA, while Bahiense was produced from the tetraploidization of Victoria. This study showed that polyploid/apomictic genotypes had more differentially methylated positions and regions than the diploid sexual ones. Interestingly, it was possible to observe fewer differentially methylated positions and regions in CG than in the other contexts, meaning CG methylation is conserved across the genotypes regardless of the ploidy level and reproductive mode. In the comparisons between sexual and apomictic genotypes, we identified differentially methylated genes involved in the reproductive pathways, specifically in meiosis, cell division, and fertilization. Another interesting observation was that several differentially methylated genes between the diploid and the original tetraploid genotype recovered their methylation status after tetraploidization, suggesting that methylation is an important mechanism involved in reproduction and ploidy changes.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"133-145"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11180019/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138489020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Revisit and explore the ethylene-independent mechanism of sex expression in cucumber (Cucumis sativus)","authors":"Nguyen Hoai Nguyen, Phuong Thi Bich Ho, Linh Thi Truc Le","doi":"10.1007/s00497-024-00501-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-024-00501-1","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Key message</h3><p>This review provides a thorough and comprehensive perspective on the topic of cucumber sexual expression. Specifically, insights into sex expression mediated by pathways other than ethylene are highlighted.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>Cucumber (<i>Cucumis sativus</i> L.) is a common and important commercial crop that is cultivated and consumed worldwide. Additionally, this species is commonly used as a model for investigating plant sex expression. Cucumbers exhibit a variety of floral arrangements, comprising male, female, and hermaphroditic (bisexual) flowers. Generally, cucumber plants that produce female flowers are typically preferred due to their significant impact on the overall output. Various environmental conditions, such as temperature, light quality, and photoperiod, have been also shown to influence the sex expression in this species. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that ethylene and its biosynthesis genes are crucial in regulating cucumber sex expression. Gibberellins, another well-known phytohormone, can similarly influence cucumber sex expression via an ethylene-independent route. Further studies employing the next-generation sequencing technology also visualized a deeper slice of the molecular mechanism such as the role of the cell cycle program in the cucumber sex expression. This review aims to provide an overview of the sex expression of cucumber including its underlying molecular mechanism and regulatory aspects based on recent investigations.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140578544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A novel strategy to study apomixis, automixis, and autogamy in plants","authors":"Petra Šarhanová, Ľuboš Majeský, Michal Sochor","doi":"10.1007/s00497-024-00499-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-024-00499-6","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Key message</h3><p>The combination of a flow cytometric seed screen and genotyping of each single seed offers a cost-effective approach to detecting complex reproductive pathways in flowering plants.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>Reproduction may be seen as one of the driving forces of evolution. Flow cytometric seed screen and genotyping of parents and progeny are commonly employed techniques to discern various modes of reproduction in flowering plants. Nevertheless, both methods possess limitations constraining their individual capacity to investigate reproductive modes thoroughly. We implemented both methods in a novel manner to analyse reproduction pathways using a carefully selected material of parental individuals and their seed progeny. The significant advantage of this approach lies in its ability to apply both methods to a single seed. The introduced methodology provides valuable insights into discerning the levels of apomixis, sexuality, and selfing in complex <i>Rubus</i> taxa. The results may be explained by the occurrence of automixis in <i>Rubus</i>, which warrants further investigation. The approach showcased its effectiveness in a different apomictic system, specifically in <i>Taraxacum</i>. Our study presents a comprehensive methodological approach for determining the mode of reproduction where flow cytometry loses its potential. It provides a reliable and cost-effective method with significant potential in biosystematics, population genetics, and crop breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":"183 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140017284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Epigenetics governs senescence.","authors":"Ajayraj Kushwaha, Vipul Mishra, Durgesh Kumar Tripathi, Ravi Gupta, Vijay Pratap Singh","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00479-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00479-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Petal is one of the most esthetic and essential parts of a flower that fascinates the pollinators to enhance pollination. Petal senescence is a highly controlled and organized natural phenomenon assisted by phytohormones and gene regulation. It is an inelastically programmed event preceding to which petals give rise to color and scent that captivate pollinators, representing a flower's maturity for sexual reproduction. Till today, many genes involved in the petal senescence through genetic as well as epigenetic changes in response to hormones have been identified. In most of the species, petal senescence is controlled by ethylene, whereas others are independent of this hormone. It has also been proved that the increase in the carbohydrate contents like mannitol, inositol and trehalose delayed the senescence in tulips and Gladiolus. An increased sugar content prevents the biosynthesis of EIN3-like mRNA and further upregulates several senescence correlated genes. A wide range of different transcription factors as well as regulators are disparately expressed in ethylene insensitive and ethylene sensitive petal senescence. DcHB30, a downregulating factor, which upon linking physically to DcWRKY75 leads to the upregulation of ethylene promoting petal senescence. Here we describe the role of ethylene in petal senescence through epigenetic changes. Studies show that ethylene causes petal senescence through epigenetic changes. Feng et al. (Plant Physiol 192:546-564, 2023) observed that ARABIDOPSIS HOMOLOG OF TRITHORAX1 (DcATX1) promotes trimethylation of histone 3 (H3) at 4th lysine (H3K4me3) in Carnation. H3K4me3 further stimulates the expression of genes of ethylene biosynthesis and senescence, leading to senescence in Carnation.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"33-36"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10024159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant ReproductionPub Date : 2024-03-01Epub Date: 2023-08-11DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00478-3
A Verena Reutemann, Ana I Honfi, Piyal Karunarathne, Fabiana Eckers, Diego H Hojsgaard, Eric J Martínez
{"title":"Comparative analysis of molecular and morphological diversity in two diploid Paspalum species (Poaceae) with contrasting mating systems.","authors":"A Verena Reutemann, Ana I Honfi, Piyal Karunarathne, Fabiana Eckers, Diego H Hojsgaard, Eric J Martínez","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00478-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00478-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>Interspecific comparison of two Paspalum species has demonstrated that mating systems (selfing and outcrossing) contribute to variation (genetically and morphologically) within species through similar but mutually exclusive processes. Mating systems play a key role in the genetic dynamics of populations. Studies show that populations of selfing plants have less genetic diversity than outcrossing plants. Yet, many such studies have ignored morphological diversity. Here, we compared the morphological and molecular diversity patterns in populations of two phylogenetically-related sexual diploids that differ in their mating system: self-sterile Paspalum indecorum and self-fertile P. pumilum. We assessed the morphological variation using 16 morpho-phenological characters and the molecular diversity using three combinations of AFLPs. We compared the morphological and molecular diversity within and among populations in each mating system. Contrary to expectations, selfers showed higher morphological variation within populations, mainly in vegetative and phenological traits, compared to outcrossers. The high morphological variation within populations of selfers led to a low differentiation among populations. At molecular level, selfing populations showed lower levels of genotypic and genetic diversity than outcrossing populations. As expected, selfers showed higher population structure than outcrossers (Phi<sub>ST</sub> = 0.301 and Phi<sub>ST</sub> = 0.108, respectively). Increased homozygous combinations for the same trait/locus enhance morphological variation and reduce molecular variation within populations in selfing P. pumilum. Thus, selfing outcomes are opposite when comparing morphological and molecular variation in P. pumilum. Meanwhile, pollen flow in obligate outcrossing populations of P. indecorum increases within-population molecular variation, but tends to homogenize phenotypes within-population. Pollen flow in obligate outcrossers tends to merge geographically closer populations; but isolation by distance can lead to a weak differentiation among distant populations of P. indecorum.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"15-32"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10346810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant ReproductionPub Date : 2024-03-01Epub Date: 2023-08-30DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00480-9
Marina M Strelin, Nicolay L da Cunha, Aimé Rubini-Pisano, Juan Fornoni, Marcelo A Aizen
{"title":"Darwin's inflorescence syndrome is indeed associated with bee pollination.","authors":"Marina M Strelin, Nicolay L da Cunha, Aimé Rubini-Pisano, Juan Fornoni, Marcelo A Aizen","doi":"10.1007/s00497-023-00480-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00497-023-00480-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>A relationship between vertical acropetal inflorescences with protandrous flowers and bee pollination was hypothesized by Darwin back in 1877. Here we provide empirical evidence supporting this association across the angiosperms. Plant reproduction is not only determined by flower traits but also by the arrangement of flowers within inflorescences. Based on his observations of the orchid Spiranthes autumnalis, Darwin proposed in 1877 that bee-pollinated plants presenting protandrous flowers on vertical acropetal inflorescences, where proximal flowers open first, can exploit the stereotypical foraging behavior of their pollinators (i.e., upward movement through the inflorescence) to promote pollen exportation and reduce self-pollination. In these inflorescences, male-phase flowers lie spatially above female-phase flowers. To examine this untested hypothesis, we compiled literature information from 718 angiosperms species and evaluated the association between vertical acropetal inflorescences with protandrous flowers and bee pollination within a phylogenetic comparative framework. Results reveal that this type of inflorescence is indeed more common in species pollinated by bees. Moreover, this association does not seem to be weakened by the presence of alternative self-pollination avoidance mechanisms, like self-incompatibility, suggesting that this inflorescence type benefits mainly male rather than female fitness. Other inflorescence types placing male-phase flowers above female-phase flowers, e.g., vertical basipetal inflorescences with protogynous flowers, do not provide strong evidence of a differential association with pollination by bees. Female-biased nectar production in vertical acropetal inflorescences with protandrous flowers may reinforce the behavior of bees to fly upwards, rendering Darwin's configuration more adaptive than other inflorescence configurations.</p>","PeriodicalId":51297,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reproduction","volume":" ","pages":"37-45"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10113806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}