Sex Chromosomes and Sex Determination in Dioecious Agricultural Plants

Abstract

Unlike in animals, dioecy among flowering plants is a rare phenomenon. The vast majority of angiosperm species have a bisexual flower that combines male (androecium) and female (gynoecium) reproductive organs. However, about a quarter of species have dioecious flowers, which can be located within the same plant (monoecious) or on different plants (dioecious). The flower formation in dioecious plants is determined by various genetic mechanisms. They become more complex from the work of a single gene to the functioning of full-fledged heteromorphic sex chromosomes, which can directly affect sex differentiation or participate in the balance determination of sex (where the formation of male or female flower organs depends on the ratio of X chromosomes to autosomes, for example). In recent years, the development of sequencing techniques, bioinformatics, and molecular biology has led to an increase in interest in the sex determination mechanisms among plants. It is noteworthy that a significant number of dioecious plants have economic value. At the same time, dioeciousness often complicates the growing process. This fact increases the relevance of studies on dioecious crops. In this review, we attempt to summarize the current information on sex chromosomes and the mechanisms of sex determination in dioecious plants, concentrating on species with agricultural importance.

Stability of Leaf Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) Metabolite Concentrations over the Time from the Prism of Secondary Sexual Dimorphism

“…), meaning that if the secondary sexual dimorphism (SSD) can be detected in the plant metabolites. Genders in dioecious flowering plants are rarely characterized by the presence of sexual chromosomes [16,17]. Therefore, the gender determination is generally possible only after the first flowering.…”