New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts
Phenotypic diversity in Argentinian populations of Bromus catharticus (Poaceae). Genetic and environmental components of quantitative traits
Mónica B. Aulicino*
Miguel J. Arturi
Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales
Universidad Nacional de La Plata
CC 31 (1900) La Plata
Buenos Aires, República Argentina
*Present address: Benavidez 195, (1842) Monte Grande, Buenos Aires, República Argentina. Email: mbaulicino@hotmail.com
Abstract Genetic and environmental components were analysed in 32 Argentinian populations of Bromus catharticus. The research was based on 39 vegetative and reproductive characters. Constancy (rc) and heritability (h2) ratios were calculated. ANOVAS showed differences between populations for 14 traits, most of them reproductive. Total phenotypic variation was mostly due to the environmental component. Microfloral attributes showed the highest values of rc and h2. The traits average length of the spikelets (LS), average number of florets per spikelet (NFS), and lemma length (LL), which simultaneously reach rc values higher than 1 and h2 values higher than 0.60, could be considered useful in systematic studies. Leaf, stem, and some reproductive characters, linked to propagule production, had plastic responses. However, traits associated with size and shape of propagules and spikelets remained constant. Results suggest that a double strategy is operating: plasticity in some traits (to give greater adaptability), and constancy in other traits related to species stability that are of systematic significance.
Keywords Bromus catharticus; genetic variation; environmental variation; phenotypic plasticity; constancy; heritability
B01034 Received 18 July 2001; accepted 18 March 2002
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2002, Vol. 40: 223–234
0028–825X/02/4002–0223 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002
PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality (59K)
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