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GENETIC LOAD IN OSMUNDA REGALIS POPULATIONS
Author(s) -
Klekowski Edward J.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1973.tb10211.x
Subject(s) - sporophyte , gametophyte , biology , selfing , polyploid , zygote , spore , ploidy , botany , gemma , human fertilization , embryo , genetics , embryogenesis , population , gene , pollen , demography , sociology
Osmunda regalis sporophytes form haploid spores which develop into functionally hermaphroditic gametophytes. The self‐fertilization of such gametophytes results in zygotes which are completely homozygous. Spore samples collected from sporophytes in natural populations were used to establish gametophyte cultures. The majority of these gametophytes were unable to form viable embryos when only self‐fertilization was possible. Controlled selfing and crossing experiments revealed that the inability of these homozygous embryos to develop normally is attributable to the presence of recessive lethals. To account for this genetic load, an hypothesis is proposed integrating the morphology and ecology of the gametophyte generation with the polyploid genetic system of the sporophyte generation.