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Environmentally induced transgenerational changes in seed longevity: maternal and genetic influence
A Mondoni1, S Orsenigo2, M Donà3
1Museo delle Scienze, Corso della Scienza 3, 38123, Trento, Italy andrea.mondoni@unipv.it.
Annals of Botany
|April 1, 2014
Summary
Seed longevity in Silene vulgaris shows genetic influence and adaptive plasticity. Parental environment impacts seed survival, with implications for conserving alpine plants in seed banks.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Ecology
- Conservation genetics
Background:
- Seed longevity is crucial for plant conservation and persistence.
- Environmental factors and climate influence seed longevity across populations and generations.
- Understanding genetic versus adaptive contributions to seed longevity is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic basis of seed longevity differences.
- To determine the role of adaptive responses to environmental changes in seed longevity.
- To assess the impact of parental environment on seed longevity and mRNA accumulation.
Main Methods:
- Compared seed longevity of wild alpine (wA) and lowland (wL) Silene vulgaris populations.
- Analyzed seeds from two generations of common garden cultivation (cA1, cL1, cA2, cL2).
- Exposed seeds to controlled ageing and quantified germination and specific mRNA levels (SvHSP17.4, SvNRPD12).
Main Results:
- Lowland seeds (wL) were significantly longer-lived than alpine seeds (wA).
- Common garden cultivation of alpine plants doubled seed longevity in the first generation (cA1).
- mRNA accumulation related to heat stress tolerance varied with parental environment and seed longevity.
Conclusions:
- Seed longevity has a genetic component but exhibits strong adaptive plasticity.
- Transgenerational plasticity, mediated by parental effects and mRNA accumulation, influences seed survival.
- Regeneration location is critical for conserving alpine plants in seed banks.
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