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Ploidy levels and reproductive behaviour in natural populations of five Paspalum species

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Abstract

Knowledge of variation in ploidy levels and reproductive behaviour in natural populations is essential in order to understand the functioning of agamic complexes. The aim of this study was to analyse the ploidy level and mode of reproduction in several wild Paspalum populations. A total of 19 populations representing five different species (P. alcalinum, P. denticulatum, P. lividum, P. nicorae, and P. rufum) were collected. Ploidy level was determined in 1,187 individuals by using flow cytometry. Among these individuals, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, and 7x chromosome constitutions were observed. Diploid sexual cytotypes of P. denticulatum were detected for the first time; this will allow the development of future breeding strategies for this particular species. Flow cytometry seed screen (FCSS) in bulked and single seeds revealed the reproductive diversity of these species, ranging from complete sexuality in diploids and varying levels of facultative apomixis in most tetraploids, to obligate apomixis in pentaploids and hexaploids. A fully sexual tetraploid plant was never detected. Nevertheless, most tetraploid genotypes produced both maternal (by apomixis) and non-maternal (by sexuality) progeny. This residual sexuality is very interesting from an evolutionary point of view, since it would allow the creation of new genotypic combinations in natural populations. In addition, the residual sexuality found in some apomictic tetraploid populations can be used as a source of variability for genetic improvement.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Silvina Pessino, Prof. Michael Hayward and Prof. Emeritus Henry Fribourg for critically reading the manuscript and for English assistance. We also thank Florencia Galdeano who managed the flow cytometer. This study was financed by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica [ANPCyT], Argentina, PICT 2007 No. 00476; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina, PIP 2008 No. 6805 and PIP 112-200801-01378. M.E.S. received fellowships from CONICET. C.L.Q. and F.E. are career members of CONICET.

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  1. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (IBONE-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (UNNE), Sargento Cabral 2131, 3400, Corrientes, Argentina

    M. E. Sartor, C. L. Quarin, M. H. Urbani & F. Espinoza

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  1. M. E. Sartor
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  2. C. L. Quarin
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  4. F. Espinoza
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Correspondence to F. Espinoza.

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Sartor, M.E., Quarin, C.L., Urbani, M.H. et al. Ploidy levels and reproductive behaviour in natural populations of five Paspalum species. Plant Syst Evol 293, 31–41 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0416-4

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