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Unexpectedly high genetic variation in large unisexual clumps of the subdioecious plant Honckenya peploides (Caryophyllaceae)
Author(s) -
SánchezVilas J.,
Philipp M.,
Retuerto R.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 1435-8603
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.2009.00231.x
Subject(s) - biology , amplified fragment length polymorphism , genetic diversity , caryophyllaceae , genetic variation , isozyme , genetic variability , botany , genotype , genetics , gene , population , biochemistry , demography , sociology , enzyme
Honckenya peploides is a subdioecious dune plant that reproduces both sexually and by clonal growth. In northwest Spain this species was found to exhibit an extreme spatial segregation of the sexes, and our objective was to investigate genetic variation in unisexual clumps. Genetic variation was studied in six unisexual clumps of H. peploides , three of them exclusively composed of males and three exclusively female. In total, 193 samples were analysed using isozyme analysis and 80 samples were analysed using two AFLP primer combinations. Both techniques revealed considerably high genetic diversity (average proportion of distinguishable genotypes: 0.22 for isozymes and 0.36 for AFLP; average Simpson’s D: 0.65 for isozymes and 0.68 for AFLP). Our results show that, in spite of clonal growth, each unisexual clump consists of different genotypes. Genetic diversity within clumps is similar for both sexual morphs. Reasons for unisexuality of the clumps are discussed.