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Theoretical considerations predict that hybridization between plants with different breeding systems could potentially be a powerful evolutionary force but very few studies have been carried out to investigate hybridization among outcrossing and selfing species in natural populations. The objective of this thesis was to use G. urbanum and G. rivale, two freely hybridizing species with putatively different breeding systems, and study the processes that take place when the two different mating systems meet. To establish the extent of the morpholofical and genetic marker differences, the breeding system and levels of inbreeding depression in these two species, I examined reference populations from various locations in Great Britain using morphological (nine phenotypic traits) and genetic analyses of a long standing hybrid swarm between G. urbanum and G. rivale, the results revealed that the two parental species differed signigicanly in all nine traits measured and were clearly separated by 616 AFLP markers, of which 8% were species-specific. The breeding system analysis confirmed the highly selfing nature of G. urbanum and the outcrossing nature of G. rivale. No inbreeding depression was discovered in G. urbanum and very low levels in G. rivale. The AFLP analysis (203 loci) of the hybrid swarm showd that four distinct genetic groups can be distinguished (1) a parental G. urbanum life group (2) an F1 like group (3) a Backcross Rivale group and (4) a parental G. rivale like group. No Backcross Urbanum individuals were detected. Morphological data were hightly correlated with genetic data (Spearman Rank Order Correlation = 0.08,p<0.0001) but less informative as morphological data could not separate the Backcross Rivale samples from G. rivale. Analysis of seed progeny from the hybrid swarm showed that there were clear differences in the genotypic composition of the seed porgeny and the plants from which they were collected, revealing additional genetic classes such as Backcross Urbanum individuals which were not represented in the adult plant state. The Backcross Rivale parental group was the only one in which the average offspring position did not differ signigicantly from the mean parental psition in a PCO plot using 203 AFLP markers, indicating that this group might be reporductively isolated from other groups in the hybrid swarm. Taken together the results suggest that hybridization between G. urbanum and G. rivale results in the production of a range of genotypic and phenotypic classes, some of which are selected against. There is evidence for introgression between these two species, and tentative evidence for partial reporduction isolation of some hybrids suggestion that hybridisation between these outcrossing and selfing Geum species may represent a creative evolutionary force.

Refuges of non-Bt cotton are used to delay Bt resistance in the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella, Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a pest that eats cotton seeds. Contamination of refuges by transgenic Bt cotton could threaten the efficacy of such refuges by increasing the relative survival of larvae that carry alleles for Bt resistance. Here I compared contamination levels in refuges of varying configuration and distance from Bt. I found two types of contamination at low rates in refuges: outcrossing by Bt pollen and adventitious Bt plants. Unexpectedly, outcrossing did not differ between refuge configurations, and did not decrease as distance from Bt fields increased, perhaps because Bt plants in refuges acted as the main Bt pollen source. Bioassays, conducted to evaluate the impacts of contamination on pink bollworm resistance, indicated that Bt plants in refuges may increase the frequency of resistance alleles at a higher rate than outcrossing by Bt plants.

xi, 103 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Although outcrossing is the most widespread mating system among animals and plants, the reason for this prevalence is not fully understood. Evolutionary theory has classified the potential selective pressures driving the evolution and maintenance of outcrossing into two broad categories: deleterious mutations and changing ecological conditions. Despite the inherent advantages of self-fertilization, exposure to either or both of these selective pressures is predicted to favor outcrossing over self-fertilization. I tested these predictions using experimental evolution in populations of Caenorhabditis elegans with genetically modified rates of outcrossing and selfing. I found that outcrossing reduces the fixation of deleterious mutations under mutation influx and that outcrossing expedites adaptation to a bacterial pathogen. Further, I identified facultative outcrossing, a novel life history characteristic, in specific C. elegans strains that predominantly reproduce by selfing but engage in outcrossing when stressed. The shift from a primarily selfing mating system to a predominantly outcrossing system is similar to the environmentally induced facultative sex observed in asexual species, which is thought to enable more rapid adaptation. Facultative outcrossing, although not previously documented, may play a major role in the life histories of many highly selfing species. Finally, most mutations are deleterious and therefore elevated mutation rates are generally thought to produce progressively larger reductions in fitness. Using the chemical mutagen ethylmethanesulfonate, I found the surprising result that populations exposed to a mutation rate at least fifty times greater than natural rates exhibited significantly greater fitness than populations exposed to substantially lower mutation rates. This unexpected fitness optimum may be the result of a volatile balance between the influx of deleterious mutations and compensatory mutations. This work confirms the predictions of several long-standing evolutionary theories by identifying both deleterious mutations and changing ecological conditions as selective pressures capable of driving the evolution and maintenance of outcrossing. These selective pressures, which are ubiquitous in nature, may explain the prevalence of outcrossing relative to selling. This dissertation includes previously published and co-authored materials. / Committee in charge: Barbara Roy, Chairperson, Biology; Patrick Phillips, Advisor, Biology; Karen Guillemin, Member, Biology; William Bradshaw, Member, Biology; Douglas Kennett, Outside Member, Anthropology

Experiments were conducted to determine the outcrossing rate, the inheritance of markers and establish a basic linkage map in grasspea, <i> Lathyrus sativus </i>L. The outcrossing rate in a white-flowered line of grasspea ranged from 1.7 to 2.7% among eight combinations of gene frequency and location. The outcrossing rate in this study (2.2 ± 0.7%) suggests that individual lines of grasspea should be maintained in isolation to maintain their genetic integrity. Inheritance and linkage were determined for one morphological, 11 isozyme and 72 RAPD markers in five F₂ populations (all RAPD markers were in one F₂ population). The inheritance of flower colour was monogenic with colour dominant over white. The isozymes, ACO-1, ACO-2, AAT-1, AAT-2, EST-6, FDH, LAP-1, PGD-2, SKDH and TPI-1, were codominantly expressed with monogenic inheritance. The isozymes LAP-1 and PGD-2 segregated in a non-Mendelian ratios in the crosses PI 426891.1.3 x PI 283564c.3.2 and PI 426891.1 x PI 172930.4, respectively. The isozymeEST-3 was monogenically inherited and dominantly expressed. Most RAPD markers segregated in a 3:1 ratio. Marker UBC368_425/655 segregated in a co-dominant fashion. The RAPD markers UBC304₈₃₁, UBC304₉₆₄, UBC308₉₉₀, UBC322₁₄₃₂, UBC328₈₃₁, UBC332₁₁₁₈, UBC3321₁₅₈₁, UBC333₆₁₇, UBC349<sub>752<?sub>, UBC365₁₀₁₃ and UBC388₄₅₉ showed distorted segregation. In two F₂ populations, PI 283564c.3 x PI 426885.2 and PI 358601.5 x PI 173714.5, a linkage between AAT-2 and SKDH was reconfirmed. In the cross PI 426891.1.3 x PI 283564c.3.2, one morphological, three isozyme and 71 RAPD markers were mapped resulting in the delineation of 14 linkage groups including 69 markers (1 morphological, 3 isozyme and 65 RAPD markers). The total genome length covered by these 75 markers (69 linked and six unlinked) was about 864 cM. Considering cost, simplicity and abundance, RAPD analysis was more efficient than isozyme analysis in developing linkage map.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: See full text for abstract / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien volteks vir opsomming

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-17T13:43:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 flaviarangeldesouza.pdf: 928380 bytes, checksum: cf3367ab259e0a080c36f809b17947c3 (MD5) / Rejected by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br), reason: on 2017-08-24T11:26:44Z (GMT) / Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-24T15:17:40Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-08-30T14:31:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-30T14:31:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-02-21 / O capim-elefante (Cenchrus purpureus) é uma gramínea perene utilizada na alimentação bovina, principalmente na bovinocultura de leite. Atualmente, devido a sua alta produção de biomassa, o capim-elefante tem sido utilizado como insumo energético na produção de energia térmica (combustão direta, carvão vegetal e resíduos), energia mecânica (álcool combustível e bio-óleos) e energia elétrica (pela combustão, gaseificação e queima de gases). A forma de propagação do capimelefante é preferencialmente vegetativa, através de estacas, e a espécie é conhecida por produzir sementes de baixa germinação, o que dificulta a expansão em grandes áreas. Dessa forma, torna-se necessário avançar no conhecimento a respeito da biologia reprodutiva e gerar conhecimento para auxiliar a seleção de genótipos superiores nos programas de melhoramento do capim-elefante. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar a taxa de cruzamento do capim-elefante a fim de entender o comportamento reprodutivo na espécie. Para este estudo, 18 indivíduos pertencentes ao Programa de Melhoramento de Capim-Elefante da Embrapa Gado de Leite foram selecionados, e sementes foram coletadas. 20 mudas descendentes de uma mesma planta foram escolhidas, tendo uma população final de 378 indivíduos. Foi inicialmente extraído o DNA de todos os indivíduos, e as regiões de interesse foram amplificadas por PCR. Testes foram realizados com dezenove marcadores microssatélites, e seis obtiveram sucesso na amplificação e na presença de bandas polimórficas. Foi gerado um dendrograma com os parentais para identificar relações de parentesco entre os indivíduos amostrados, que mostrou uma baixa similaridade, sendo a maioria dos parentais com índices menores do que 0,75. Além disso, a AMOVA revelou que 86% da variabilidade da população está presente dentro das progênies, resultado que está de acordo com espécies predominantemente alógamas. A alogamia foi confirmada com resultados da estimativa da taxa de cruzamento: a taxa multilocus, de 0,957; a taxa unilocus, de 0,900; a taxa de autofecundação, de 0,043, além de apresentar coeficiente de endogamia de -0,200 e correlação de paternidade de 0,045, demonstrando que há maior presença de heterose e que são poucos os indivíduos que são irmãos completos. Os resultados apresentados são importantes para o entendimento do tipo de cruzamento presente na espécie e auxiliarão na definição de novas estratégias nos programas de melhoramento. / The Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureum) is a perennial grass used as forage crop mainly in dairy cattle. Nowadays, the Napier grass has been used as energy feedstock, due to high biomass yield, producing thermal energy (direct combustion, charcoal and residues), mechanical energy (biofuels and bio-oils) and electrical energy (through gas combustion, gasification and burn). C. purpureum is, preferably, a vegetative propagation species, that reproduces through stems. Its seeds have low quality, making difficult its expansion in extensive areas. Thus, it is necessary to extend the knowledge about the reproductive biology and selection of superior genotypes in Napier grass breeding programs. The aim of this study was to estimate the outcrossing rate of Napier grass in order to understand the reproductive behavior of this species. For that, 378 individuals were selected and divided in 18 parental and its progenies groups. DNA was extracted from all individuals and selected microsatellite regions were amplified by PCR. A total of 19 microsatellite markers were tested and six were successful in the amplification of polymorphic DNA bands. A dendrogram was generated with parental individuals to identify the relationship among them and a low similarity (<0.75) was found. AMOVA revealed 86% of variability within progenies which correlates with species predominantly alogamic. The allogamy was confirmed through analysis of outcrossing rate: the multilocus rate (0.957), unilocus rate, (0.900), selfing rate (0.043), inbreeding coefficient (-0.200), and correlation of paternity (0.045). These results indicate that heterosis is present and few individuals share the same parental origin. These findings are important to understand the outcrossing rate in this species and may help to define new strategies in breeding programs.

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Flowering plants display remarkable phenotypic diversity, especially in reproductive structures, much of which is thought to be associated with pollination by animals. Pollination syndromes are collections of floral traits (e.g. flower colour, shape, odour) that are associated with a plant attracting particular functional groups of animal pollinators. We explored the extent to which traits associated with the moth pollination syndrome translated into pollination by moths in the Pacific coast dune endemic Abronia umbellata and found mixed results: in one year of study, there was no difference in seed set by day- vs. night-pollinated inflorescences, but in another year of study, night-pollinated inflorescences set significantly more seed than those pollinated during the day. We integrate this work with tests of pollen and resource limitation of seed production and with seed set surveys of natural populations to address proximate and ultimate causes of low seed set, finding low rates of pollinator visitation, high pollen limitation of seed production in all populations studied, and no evidence of endogenous resource limitation of seed production. We propose that “excess” flowers may be functionally male, serving to increase outcross siring success. The transition from self-incompatibility and obligate outcrossing to self-compatibility and predominant selfing is the most common evolutionary transition among the flowering plants and traits associated with outcrossing may become reduced across such shifts, potentially through the action of natural selection, especially if pollinators are also herbivores, or if the signals that pollinators use to locate flowers are also used by herbivores. We examined the reduction of attractive visual and olfactory floral traits in A. umbellata across a shift from outcrossing to selfing and found a reduction of all floral traits considered. We found that floral volatile emissions were reduced more strongly than flower size or floral display (number of flowers per inflorescence), but there was no evidence of an ecological cost associated with conspicuousness: we did not find reduced leaf herbivory among selfers relative to outcrossers. / Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-30 19:46:23.663