Abstract
In the interspecific cross of Populus trichocarpa × P. deltoides, unexpected simultaneous occurrence
of diploid hybrids and triploid hybrids (with two alleles from the female parent and one from the
male parent at each locus) led us to examine the evolutionary genetic significance of this
phenomenon. As expected, leaf size and shape of the triploid progeny are closer to the female P.
trichocarpa than male P. deltoides parent. Although the pure triploid progeny population did not
have higher genetic variance in leaf traits than the pure diploid population, the former appears to
hide much non-additive genetic variance and display strong genetic control over the phenotypic
plasticity of leaf traits. It is suggested that the cryptic non-additive variance, especially epistasis,
can be released when a population is disturbed by changes in the environment. A mixed diploid
and triploid progeny population combines phenotypic and genetic characteristics of both pure
hybrids and is considered to be of adaptive significance for poplars to survive and evolve in a
fluctuating environment. The significant effect due to general and specific combining ability
differences at the population level suggests that the population divergence of these two species is
under additive and non-additive genetic control.
Subject
Genetics,General Medicine
Cited by
6 articles.
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