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Pollen, Mating and Paternity in Agamospermous Angiosperms
Author(s) -
URBANSKA KRYSTYNA M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
plant species biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1442-1984
pISSN - 0913-557X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-1984.1994.tb00083.x
Subject(s) - biology , offspring , gametophyte , mating , sperm , pollen , double fertilization , limiting , egg cell , dioecy , mating system , zoology , ecology , evolutionary biology , pollination , botany , pollen tube , genetics , pregnancy , mechanical engineering , engineering
This review article deals with the male function in agamospermous plants, which is still not fully recognized. Of particular interest are mating and paternity problems. Pollen of agamospermous donors may influence female fitness in early mating phases by contributing the recognition substances or inducing spontaneous seed development. Various interactions between the sperm cell(s) and the female gametophyte at later phases may include (1) occasional double fertilization, (2) occasional syngamy, (3) pseudogamy, and (4) hemigamy. In the first two processes the offspring are sired normally. In pseudogamy, the offspring is maternal, the male contribution being restricted to endosperm paternity. In hemigamy, male function may include induction of the egg cell development only (maternal offspring), or the induction of the egg cell development as well as independent participation of the sperm cell in the offspring development leading to the formation of chimeras. It is concluded that the sperm may be a limiting resource in at least some agamospermous plants. Possible directions of future research are briefly outlined.