Summary
Male gametophytic selection can play a special role in the evolution of higher plant populations. The main assumption — gametophytic-sporophytic gene expression of a large portion of a plant's genes — has been proven by a number of studies. Population analyses have revealed a large amount of variability for male gametophytic fitness. However, the data available do not prove that at least a portion of this variability is due to postmeiotic gene expression. This paper reports the analysis of a synthetic population of maize based on a gametophytic selection experiment, carried out according to a recurrent scheme. After two cycles of selection, the response was evaluated for gametophytic and sporophytic traits. A parameter representing pollen viability and time to germination, although showing a large amount of genetic variability, was not affected by gametophytic selection, indicating that this variability is largely sporophytically controlled. Pollen tube growth rate was significantly affected by gametophytic selection: 21.6% of the genetical variability was released by selection. Correlated response for sporophytic traits was observed for mean kernel weight: 15.67% of the variability was released. The results are a direct demonstration that pollen competitive ability due to pollen tube growth rate and kernel development are controlled, to a considerable extent, by genes expressed in both tissues. They also indicate that gametophytic selection in higher plants can produce a higher evolution rate than sporophytic selection; it can thus serve to regulate the amount of genetic variability in the populations by removing a large amount of the genetic load produced by recombination.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beker WA (1975) Manual of quantitative genetics. Washington State University Press, Pullman
Bianchi A, Lorenzoni C (1975) Gametophytic factors in Zea mays. In: Mulcahy DL (ed) Gamete competition in plants and animals. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp 257–263
Brewbaker HL (1971) Pollen enzymes and isoenzymes. In: Heslop-Harrison J (ed) Pollen development and physiology. Butterworth, London, pp 156–170
Brink RA, MacGillvrary JH (1924) Segregation of the waxy character in maize pollen and differential development of the male gametophyte. Am J Bot 11:465–469
Clegg MT, Kahler AL, Allard RW (1978) Estimation of life cycle component of selection in an experimental plant population. Genetics 89:765–792
Darwin C (1877) The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species. Appleton, New York
Dickinson DB, Hopper JE, Davies MD (1973) A study of pollen enzymes involved in sugar nucleotide formation. In: Loewus F (ed) Biogenesis of plant cell wall polysaccharides. Academic Press, New York, pp 29–48
Falconer DS (1961) Introduction to quantitative genetics. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh London
Goodnight JH, Speed FM (1978) Computing expected mean squares. SAS Institute, Cary NC
Grizzle JE, Starmer CF, Kock GG (1969) Analysis of categorical data by linear models. Biometrics 25:489–504
Haldane JB (1932) The cause of evolution. Harper and Row, New York
Haldane JB (1957) The cost of natural selection. J Genet 55:511–524
Harding J (1975) Models for gamete competition and self fertilization as components of natural selection in populations of higher plants. In: Mulcahy DL (ed) Gamete competition in plants and animals. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 243–255
Harding J, Tucker CL (1969) Quantitative studies on mating system. II. Method for the estimation of male gametophytic selective values and differential outcrossing rates. Evolution 23:85–95
Heslop-Harrison J (1979) The forgotten generation: some thoughts on the genetics and physiology of Angiosperm gametophytes. In: Davies DR, Hopwood DA (eds) The plant genome. 4th Innes Symp, Norwich, pp 1–14
Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison Y (1970) Evaluation of pollen viability by enzymatically induced fluorescence; intracellular hydrolysis of fluoroscein diacetate. Stain Techn 45:115–120
Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison Y, Knox RB, Howlett B (1973) Pollen wall proteins: gametophytic and sporophytic fraction in pollen wall of Malvaceae. Ann Bot 37:403–412
Heslop-Harrison Y, Reger BJ, Heslop-Harrison J (1984) The pollen-stigma interaction in the grasses. 6. The stigma (“silk”) of Zea mays L. as host to the pollens of Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench) and Pennisetum americanum L. (Leeke). Acta Bot Neerl 227:205–227
House RL, Nelson OE (1958) Tracer study of pollen-tube growth in cross-sterile maize. J Hered 49:18–21
Johnson CM, Mulcahy DL (1978) Male gametophyte in maize. 2. Pollen vigour in inbred plants. Theor Appl Genet 51:211–215
Jones DF (1928) Selective fertilization. University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Kiesselbach TA (1949) The structure and reproduction of corn. University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Kock GG, Landis JR, Freeman JL, Freeman DH, Lehnen RG (1977) A general methodology for the analysis of experiments with repeated measurement of categorical data. Biometrics 33:133–158
Lee TD (1984) Patterns of fruit maturation: a gametophyte competition hypothesis. Am Nat 123:427–432
Mascarenhas JP (1975) The biochemistry of angiosperm pollen development. Bot Rev 41:259–314
Mascarenhas JP, Mermelstein J (1981) Messenger RNAs: their utilization and degradation during pollen germination and tube growth. Acta Soc Bot Pol 50:13–20
Mascarenhas NT, Bashe D, Eisenberg A, Willing RP, Xiao CM, Mascarenhas JP (1984) Messenger RNA in corn pollen and protein synthesis during germination and pollen tube growth. Theor Appl Genet 68:323–326
McKenna M, Mulcahy DL (1983) Ecological aspects of gametophytic competition in Dianthus chinensis. In: Mulcahy DL, Ottaviano E (eds) Pollen: biology and implications in plant breeding. Elsevier, New York, pp 414–424
Moore CW, Creech RG (1972) Genetic fine structure analysis of amylose-extender locus in Zea mays L. Genetics 70:611–619
Mulcahy DL (1971) A correlation between gametophytic and sporophytic characteristics in Zea mays L. Science 171:1155–1156
Mulcahy DL (1974) Correlation between speed of pollen tube growth and seedling weight in Zea mays L. Nature 249:491–492
Mulcahy DL (1979) The rise of the Angiosperms: a genecological factor. Science 206:20–23
Mulcahy DL (1983) Manipulation of gametophytic population. In: Lange W, Zeven AC, Hogenboom NG (eds) Efficiency in plant breeding. Proc 10th EUCARPIA Congr, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp 167–179
Mulcahy DL, Mulcahy GB, Ottaviano E (1975) Sporophytic expression of gametophytic competition in Petunia hybrida. In: Mulcahy DL (ed) Gamete competition in plants and animals. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp 227–232
Mulcahy DL, Mulcahy GB, Ottaviano E (1978) Further evidence that gametophytic selection modifies the genetic quality of the sporophyte. Soc Bot Fr Actual Bot 1–2:57–60
Nelson OE (1952) Non reciprocal cross sterility in maize. Genetics 37:101–124
Ottaviano E, Mulcahy DL (1986) Gametophytic selection as a factor of crop plant evolution. In: Barigozzi C (ed) The origin and domestication of cultivated plants. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 101–120
Ottaviano E, Sari-Gorla M (1979) Genetic variability of male gametophyte in maize. Pollen genotype and pollen-style interaction. In: Israeli-Italian Joint Meeting Genet Breed Crop Plants. Monogr Genet Agraria IV, Roma, pp 89–106
Ottaviano E, Sari-Gorla M, Mulcahy DL (1980) Pollen tube growth rate in Zea mays: implications for genetic improvement of crops. Science 210:437–438
Ottaviano E, Sari-Gorla M, Pé M (1982) Male gametophytic selection in maize. Theor Appl Genet 63:249–254
Ottaviano E, Sari-Gorla M, Arenari I (1983) Male gametophyte competitive ability in maize. Selection and implications with regard to the breeding system. In: Mulcahy DL, Ottaviano E (eds) Pollen: biology and implications for plant breeding. Elsevier, New York, pp 367–373
Ottaviano E, Petroni D, Pé E (1988) Gametophytic expression of genes controlling endosperm development in maize. Theor Appl Genet 75:252–258
Paterniani E (1969) Selection for reproductive isolation between two populations of maize, Zea mays L. Evolution 23:534–547
Pearce SC (1983) The agricultural field experiments. Wiley, New York
Pfahler PL (1965) Fertilization ability of maize pollen grain. 1. Pollen sources. Genetics 52:513–526
Pfahler PL (1967) Fertilization ability of maize pollen grains. 2. Pollen genotype, female sporophyte and pollen storage interactions. Genetics 57:513–521
Pfahler PL (1975) Factors affecting male transmission in maize (Zea mays L.). In: Mulcahy DL (ed) Gamete competition in plants and animals. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp 115–124
Pfahler PL (1983) Comparative effectiveness of pollen genotype selection in higher plants. In: Mulcahy DL, Ottaviano E (eds) Pollen: biology and implication for plant breeding, Elsevier, New York, pp 361–366
Rao CR (1973) Linear statistical inference and its applications. Wiley, New York
Sacher R, Mulcahy DL, Staples R (1983) Developmental selection for salt tolerance during self pollination of Licopersicon x Solarium F1 for salt tolerance of F2. In: Mulcahy DL, Ottaviano E (eds) Pollen: biology and implications for plant breeding. Elsevier, New York, pp 329–334
Sadras VO, Hall AJ, Schlichter TM (1985) Kernel set of the uppermost ear of maize. 1. Quantification of some aspects of floral biology. Maydica 30:37–48
Sari-Gorla M, Ottaviano E, Faini D (1975) Genetic variability of gametophytic growth rate in maize. Theor Appl Genet 46:289–294
Sari-Gorla M, Frova C, Binelli G, Ottaviano E (1986) The extent of gametophytic-sporophytic gene expression in maize. Theor Appl Genet 72:42–47
Schlichting CD, Stephenson AG, Davis LE, Winsor JA (1987) Pollen competition and offspring variance. Evol Trend Plant 1:35–39
Schwartz D (1960) The analysis of a case of cross-sterility in maize. Proc Natl Acad Sci 36:719–724
Searcy KB, Mulcahy DL (1985a) Pollen selection and the gametophytic expression of metal tolerance in Silene dioica (Caryophyllaceae) and Mimulus guttatus (Scrophulariaceae). Am J Bot 72:1700–1706
Searcy KB, Mulcahy DL (1985b) Pollen tube competition and selection for metal tolerance in Silene dioica (Caryophillaceae) and Mimulus guttatus (Scrophulariaceae). Am J Bot 72:1695–1699
Searle SR (1971) Linear models. Wiley, New York
Ter-Avanesian DV (1978) The effect of varying the number of pollen grains used in fertilization. Theor Appl Genet 52:77–79
Tanksley SD, Zamir D, Rick CM (1981) Evidence for extensive overlap of sporophytic and gametophytic gene expression in Lycopersicion esculentum. Science 213:453–455
Vasek FC, Harding J (1976) Outcrossing in natural populations. 5. Analysis of outcrossing, inbreeding and selection in Clarkia exilis and Clarkia tembloriensis. Evolution 30:403–411
Willing RP, Mascarenhas JP (1984) Analysis of complexity and diversity of mRNAs from pollen and shoots of Tradescantia. Plant Physiol 75:865–868
Yamada M, Murakami K (1983) Superiority in gamete competition of pollen derived from F1 plant in maize. In: Mulcahy DL, Ottaviano E (eds) Pollen: biology and implications for plant breeding. Elsevier, New York, pp 389–395
Zamir D (1983) Pollen gene expression and selection: applications in plant breeding. In: Tanksley SD, Orton JJ (eds) Isozymes in plant genetics and breeding. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 313–330
Zamir D, Vallejos EC (1983) Temperature effects on haploid selection of tomato microspores and pollen grains. In: Mulcahy DL, Ottaviano E (eds) Pollen: Biology and Implication for Plant Breeding. Elsevier, New York, pp 335–341
Zamir D, Tanksley SD, Jones RA (1981) Low temperature effect on selective fertilization by pollen mixture of wild cultivated tomato species. Theor Appl Genet 59:235–238
Zamir D, Tanksley SD, Jones RA (1982) Haploid selection for low temperature tolerance of tomato pollen. Genetics 101:129–137
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by P. L. Pfahler
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ottaviano, E., Sari-Gorla, M. & Villa, M. Pollen competitive ability in maize: within population variability and response to selection. Theoret. Appl. Genetics 76, 601–608 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00260915
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00260915