Cyanogenesis in Turnera ulmifolia L. (Turneraceae). I. Phenotypic distribution and genetic variation for cyanogenesis on Jamaica

Abstract

A survey of 39 discrete populations of Turnera ulmifolia on Jamaica reveals extensive phenotypic variation for cyanogenesis among populations. The variation is quantitative and appears to be the result of differences in the quantity of cyanogenic glycoside possessed by plants. Controlled crosses and greenhouse studies show that there is a genetic basis to the variation with between-family variance accounting for more than 80 per cent of the variation in one population. Seedlings have significantly higher levels of cyanogenesis than mature plants in largely acyanogenic populations but this age-specific variation is absent in predominately cyanogenic populations. We identify potential selective agents that might account for the spatial distribution of cyanogenesis on the island and discuss the geographical pattern with respect to population elevation, precipitation regimes and the distribution of herbivores. This investigation provides the first detailed study of the ecological genetics of cyanogenesis in natural populations of a tropical plant.

Plant Cyanogenesis of Phaseolus lunatus and its Relevance for Herbivore–Plant Interaction: The Importance of Quantitative Data

“…There are several studies which analyze the amount of cyanide-liberating compounds in plants, its spatial distribution, and its dependence on environmental conditions (Jones, 1966;Cooper-Driver and Swain, 1976;Abbott, 1977;Cooper-Driver et al, 1977;Ellis et al, 1977a;Till, 1987;Caradus et al, 1990;Blaise et al, 1991;Hughes, 1991;Shore and Obrist, 1992;Calatayud et al, 1994;Caradus and Forde, 1996;Schappert and Shore, 1999a;Gleadow and Woodrow, 2000a). However, the central aspect of cyanogenesis, the capacity to release hydrogen cyanide from these endogenous compounds to the atmosphere, was just roughly classified by Byes^or Bno^or semiquantitative estimation by FeiglYAnger test paper methods (Hayden and Parker, 2002).…”

A male gift to its partner? Cyanogenic glycosides in the spermatophore of longwing butterflies (Heliconius)

“…Soon after adding the enzyme, the tube was put inside a glass vial containing sodium hydroxide, stoppered, and incubated at 64°C for 24 h. Sodium hydroxide reacts with CN − to yield sodium cyanide. A sample of the sodium cyanide was then submitted to colorimetric analysis (see Lambert et al 1975;Brinker and Seigler 1989;Schappert and Shore 1995 for further details of the procedure). The estimated cyanide content is expressed as micrograms after conversion from a standard curve generated with known concentrations of sodium cyanide.…”

Constitutive polymorphic cyanogenesis in the Australian rainforest tree, Ryparosa kurrangii (Achariaceae)

“…The majority of plant species where reasonable numbers of individuals have been tested have reported a certain percentage of functionally acyanogenic individuals (e.g. Cooper-Driver and Swain, 1976;Ellis et al, 1977;Dirzo and Harper, 1982;Till, 1987;Hughes, 1991;Schappert and Shore, 1995;Aikman et al, 1996;Pederson et al, 1996;Bazin et al, 1997;Goodger et al, 2002;Gleadow et al, 2003; but see Kakes, 1994;McMahon et al, 1995;Solís Neffa et al, 2003). Locating and testing larger populations of the rare R. kurrangii will be required to confirm if this species has qualitative as well as quantitative polymorphism for cyanogenesis.…”