Apomixis in Melastomataceae

Caetano, Ana Paula Souza; Oliveira, Paulo E.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-99742-7_25

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Notably, different Miconia species are known to produce fruits via apomixis (Renner, 1989)⁠, some without the need of pollen deposition (Caetano and Oliveira, 2022)⁠. Apomixis could thus have enabled Miconia species to reproduce without pollen exchange via vibrating bees, further reducing pollinator dependency.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An evolutionary disruption of the buzz pollination syndrome in neotropical montane plants

Nery,

Caddah,

Michelangeli

et al. 2024

American J of Botany

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PremiseUnder pollinator limitations, specialized pollination syndromes may evolve toward contrasting responses: a generalized syndrome with increased pollinator attraction, pollinator reward, and pollen transfer capacity; or the selfing syndrome with increased self‐pollen deposition, but reduced pollinator attraction and pollen transfer capacity. The buzz‐pollination syndrome is specialized to explore female vibrating bees as pollinators. However, vibrating bees become less‐active pollinators at montane areas of the Atlantic Forest (AF) domain. This study investigated whether the specialized buzz‐pollination syndrome would evolve toward an alternative floral syndrome in montane areas of the AF domain, considering a generalized and the selfing syndromes as alternative responses.MethodsWe utilized a lineage within the buzz‐pollinated Miconia as study system, contrasting floral traits between montane AF‐endemic and non‐endemic species. We measured and validated floral traits that were proxies for pollinator attraction, reward access, pollen transfer capacity, and self‐pollen deposition. We inferred the evolution of floral trait via phylogenetic comparative methods.ResultsAF‐endemic species have selectively evolved greater reward access and more frequently had generalist pollination. Nonetheless, AF‐endemic species also have selectively evolved toward lower pollen transfer capacity and greater self pollination. These patterns indicated a complex evolutionary process that has jointly favored a generalized and the selfing syndromes.ConclusionsThe buzz pollination syndrome can undergo an evolutionary disruption in montane areas of the AF domain. This floral syndrome is likely more labile than often assumed, allowing buzz‐pollinated plants to reproduce in environments where vibrating bees are less‐reliable pollinators.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An evolutionary disruption of the buzz pollination syndrome in neotropical montane plants

Nery,

Caddah,

Michelangeli

et al. 2024

American J of Botany

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“…Available studies suggests that apomixis in neotropical plants is primarily sporophytic, facultative, and associated to polyploidy and polyembryony (e.g. Mendes-Rodrigues and Oliveira 2012 ; Sampaio et al 2013 ; Alves et al 2016 ; Caetano and Oliveira 2022 ; Marinho et al 2023 ). Despite the recognition of apomixis in plants for over a century ( Hojsgaard and Pullaiah 2022 ), our understanding of apomictic tropical plants remains incomplete and it is clearly underestimated, as demonstrated by recent studies in the Andes ( Ptáček et al 2024 ) and for tropical families, such as Podostemaceae ( Silva-Batista et al 2020 ) and Melastomataceae ( Caetano and Oliveira 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… Mendes-Rodrigues and Oliveira 2012 ; Sampaio et al 2013 ; Alves et al 2016 ; Caetano and Oliveira 2022 ; Marinho et al 2023 ). Despite the recognition of apomixis in plants for over a century ( Hojsgaard and Pullaiah 2022 ), our understanding of apomictic tropical plants remains incomplete and it is clearly underestimated, as demonstrated by recent studies in the Andes ( Ptáček et al 2024 ) and for tropical families, such as Podostemaceae ( Silva-Batista et al 2020 ) and Melastomataceae ( Caetano and Oliveira 2022 ). In this context, apomictic tropical species from highly diverse plant groups present promising new models for investigating apomixis in the Neotropics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Apomixis beyond trees in the Brazilian savanna: new insights from the orchid Zygopetalum mackayi

da Costa,

Alves,

Duarte

et al. 2024

AoB PLANTS

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In the Neotropics, the focus of apomictic studies predominantly centres on trees within the Brazilian savanna, characterized, mostlyas sporophytic and facultative, associated with polyploidy and polyembryony. To enhance our understanding of the mechanisms governing apomixis and sexual reproduction in tropical herbaceous plants, we clarify the relationship between apomixis, chromosome counts, and polyembryony in the epiphytic orchid Zygopetalum mackayi, which forms a polyploid complex within rocky outcrops in both the Brazilian savanna and the Atlantic forest. To define embryo origins and describe megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis, we performed manual self-pollinations in first-day flowers of cultivated plants, considering all three cytotypes (2x, 3x, 4x) of this species. Flowers and fruits at different stages were collected to describe development and morphology of ovule and seed considering sexual and apomictic processes. As self-pollination treatments resulted in high fruit abortion in diploids, we also examined pollen tube development in aborted flowers and fruits to search for putative anomalies. Megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis occur regularly in all cytotypes. Apomixis is facultative and sporophytic, and associated with polyploid cytotypes, while diploid individuals exclusively engage in sexual reproduction. Polyembryony is caused mainly by the production of adventitious embryos from nucellar cells of triploids and tetraploids, but also by the development of multiple archesporia in all cytotypes. Like other apomictic angiosperms within the Brazilian savanna, our findings demonstrate that apomixis in Z. mackayi relies on pollinators for seed production. We also consider the ecological implications of these apomictic patterns in Z. mackayi within the context of habitat loss and its dependence on pollinators.

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Engineering apomixis in crops

2023

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Apomixis is an asexual mode of reproduction through seeds where progeny are clones of the mother plants. Naturally apomictic modes of reproduction are found in hundreds of plant genera distributed across more than 30 plant families, but are absent in major crop plants. Apomixis has the potential to be a breakthrough technology by allowing the propagation through seed of any genotype, including F1 hybrids. Here, we have summarized the recent progress toward synthetic apomixis, where combining targeted modifications of both the meiosis and fertilization processes leads to the production of clonal seeds at high frequencies. Despite some remaining challenges, the technology has approached a level of maturity that allows its consideration for application in the field.

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Apomixis in Melastomataceae

Cited by 5 publications

References 67 publications

An evolutionary disruption of the buzz pollination syndrome in neotropical montane plants

An evolutionary disruption of the buzz pollination syndrome in neotropical montane plants

Apomixis beyond trees in the Brazilian savanna: new insights from the orchid Zygopetalum mackayi

Engineering apomixis in crops

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