Genetic basis of trichome production in Arabidopsis lyrata

Leaf trichomes may protect plants against herbivorous insects, and may increase tolerance to drought and UV-radiation. The perennial herb Arabidopsis lyrata (Brassicaceae) is polymorphic for trichome production and occurs in a glabrous and trichome-producing form. In addition, there is quantitative variation in trichome density among trichome-producing plants. To examine the genetic basis of glabrousness, we conducted controlled crosses with plants originating from two natural populations in Sweden (one polymorphic for trichome-production, and one consisting of glabrous plants only). In addition, we estimated the heritability of trichome number from parent-offspring regressions for plants originating from the polymorphic population. Crosses between glabrous plants resulted in glabrous offspring only, whereas crosses between glabrous and trichome-producing plants, and crosses between trichome-producing individuals, resulted in either all trichome-producing offspring or both phenotypes. In segregating crosses between trichome-producing plants, the ratio of glabrous:trichome-producing offspring did not deviate significantly from 1:3, while in segregating crosses between glabrous and trichome-producing individuals the ratio did in most cases not deviate from 1:1. Within- and between-population crosses gave similar results. The heritability of trichome number estimated from regression of offspring on mid-parent was high (h2 +/- SE, 0.65 +/- 0.15). The results suggest that glabrousness is inherited in a simple Mendelian fashion, with the allele coding for trichome production being dominant over that for glabrousness. They further indicate that glabrousness is due to a mutation at the same locus in both populations.