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Consequences of interspecific hybridization and virus infection on the growth and fecundity of three threatened coastal L epidium ( B rassicaceae) species from N ew Z ealand
Author(s) -
Van Vianen Josh C. C. M.,
Houliston Gary J.,
Fletcher John D.,
Heenan Peter B.,
Chapman Hazel M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
austral ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.688
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 1442-9985
DOI - 10.1111/aec.12234
Subject(s) - biology , interspecific competition , threatened species , hybrid , introgression , interspecific hybridization , turnip mosaic virus , interspecific hybrids , fecundity , heterosis , brassicaceae , botany , ecology , population , plant virus , virus , potyvirus , genetics , habitat , gene , demography , sociology
L epidium castellanum , L . juvencum and L . oleraceum are threatened coastal cresses endemic to N ew Z ealand. These three species were selfed and interspecific hybrids generated for examination of hybrid fitness and inbreeding depression. In controlled glasshouse experiments, the interspecific hybrids and selfed progeny were inoculated with a strain of the introduced Turnip mosaic virus ( TuMV ) previously isolated from wild populations of L . aegrum . Experiments tested the hypothesis that heterosis in the interspecific hybrids provides a gain in TuMV resistance in comparison to selfed plants. We show that interspecific hybrids of three genetically distinct species of L epidium increased plant performance and reduced susceptibility to the effects of the TuMV . We suggest that interspecific hybridization could be implemented as a conservation management strategy and that a broader outlook may be required to mitigate the negative impacts of introduced pathogens on threatened species.