Studies on the Significance of Polyploidy Iii. Deschampsia and Aira

Feng-bao, Wang; Fu, Jin-Feng; Dong, Lixin; Zhu, Yiyong

doi:10.1111/j.1601-5223.1939.tb02692.x

Cited by 28 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…It was earlier suggested that polyploids withstand harsh environments like subarctic regions, high elevations and xeric environments better than diploids ( Love and Love, 1949 ) perhaps due to their higher levels of heterozygosity and genetic diversity ( Lowry and Lester, 2006 ). This was supported for example by observations of higher colonization potentials in polyploids, increased frequencies of polyploids from warmer to colder latitudes ( Manton, 1934 ; Hagerup, 1939 ; Brochmann et al, 2004 ; Lowry and Lester, 2006 ) and larger ecological amplitude of polyploids compared to diploids (e.g., Schlaepfer et al, 2010 ; Liu et al, 2011 ).…”

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confidence: 71%

Polyploidy can Confer Superiority to West African Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. Trees

et al. 2016

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Polyploidy is a common phenomenon in the evolution of angiosperms. It has been suggested that polyploids manage harsh environments better than their diploid relatives but empirical data supporting this hypothesis are scarce, especially for trees. Using microsatellite markers and flow cytometry, we examine the frequency of polyploids and diploids in a progeny trial testing four different populations of Acacia senegal, a species native to sub-Saharan regions of Africa. We compare growth between cytotypes and test whether polyploid seedlings grow better than diploids. Our results show that polyploids coexist with diploids in highly variable proportions among populations in Senegal. Acacia senegal genotypes were predominantly diploid and tetraploid, but triploid, pentaploid, hexaploid, and octaploid forms were also found. We find that polyploids show faster growth than diploids under our test conditions: in an 18 years old field trial, polyploid superiority was estimated to be 17% in trunk diameter and 9% in height while in a growth chamber experiment, polyploids grew 28% taller, but only after being exposed to drought stress. The results suggest that polyploid A. senegal can have an adaptive advantage in some regions of Africa.

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