Abstract
A novel heteromorphic phenotype, P*, in Primula × tommasinii differs from long-styled (‘pin’) morphs, half the pollen having a size distribution typical of pins and the other half a distribution typical of short-styled ‘thrums’. All P* pollen is compatible with pin mothers, and is compatible on P* stigmas, but is incompatible with thrum mothers. However, as a mother, P* shows the same compatibility relationships as do pins. The P* phenotype is inherited as a single dominant factor. All P* plants are heterozygous for the recessive ‘pin’ chromosome, but the offspring of P* selfs give ratios of 2:1 P*: pin, rather than 3:1. All P* plants have styles, stigmatic papillae and style cells shorter than pins, but much longer than in thrums. We conclude that this phenotype results from a recombination within the heteromorphy supergene between a locus which controls pollen size and one which controls dominance for pollen size. On the P* recombinant chromosome we suggest that loci controlling female compatibility and style length (in part) (G/g), anther position (A/a), and pollen size dominance (Mpm/mpm) carry recessive, pin-linked alleles; whereas those controlling pollen size (Pp/pp), male compatibility (Pm/pm), and style length (in part) (Gm/gm) carry dominant, thrum-linked alleles. A recessive, thrum-linked lethal l is also linked to this part of the chromosome. Thus, it appears that at least seven loci control the Primula heteromorphy supergene. We also show for the first time in Primula the independence of pollen size from male incompatibility, and that pollen size is under gametophytic control, dominance for this character being controlled by a recombinable locus. We also confirm earlier suggestions that style length, stigma papilla length and style cell length are developmentally correlated, and are controlled by at least two loci with additive effects, that genes controlling male and female compatibility are recombinable, and that a recessive lethal gene is linked to the thrum chromosome.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Al Wadi, H, and Richards, A J. 1993. Primary homostyly in Primula L. subgenus Sphondylia (Duby) Rupr. and the evolution of distyly in Primula. New Phytol, 124, 329–338.
Crosby, J L. 1949. Selection of an unfavourable gene-complex. Evolution, 3, 212–230.
Dowrick, V P J. 1956. Heterostyly and homostyly in Primula obconica. Heredity, 10, 219–236.
Dulberger, R. 1975. S gene action and the significance of characters in the heterostylous syndrome. Heredity, 35, 407–415.
Dulberger, R. 1993. Floral polymorphisms and their functional significance in the heterostylous syndrome. In: Barrett, S. C. H. (ed.) Evolution and Function of Heterostyly, pp. 41–84. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Ernst, A. 1936. Weitere Untersuchungen zur Phänanalyse, zum Fertilitätsproblem und zur Genetik heterostyler Primeln. II. Primula hortensis Wettst. Arch J K-Stift Ver, Soc Rass, 11, 1–280.
Ernst, A. 1950. Resultate aus Kreuzungen zwischen der tetraploiden, monomorphen Pr. japonica und diploiden, mono- und dimorphen Arten der Sektion Candelabra. Arch J K-Stift Ver, Soc Rass, 25, 135–236.
Ernst, A. 1955. Untersuchungen zur Phänanalyse, zum Fertilitätsproblem und zur Genetik heterostyler Primeln 4. Die F2-F5-Nachkommenschaften der Bastarde Pr. (hortensis × viscosa). Arch J K-Stift Ver, Soc Rass, 30, 13–137.
Ernst, A. 1957. Austausch und Mutation im Komplex-gen für Blutenplastik und Inkompatibilität bei Primula. Z indukt Abstamm Vererb, 88, 517–599.
Ganders, F R. 1979. The biology of heterostyly. N H J Bot, 17, 607–635.
Kurian, V. 1996. Investigation on the Genetic Control of the Primula L Heteromorphy Supergene. Ph. D. Thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Lewis, D. 1954. Comparative incompatibility in angio-sperms and fungi. Adv Gen, 6, 235–245.
Lewis, D, and Jones, D A. 1993. The genetics of heterostyly. In: Barrett, S. C. H. (ed.) Evolution and Function of Heterostyly, pp. 129–150. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Mather, T. 1950. The genetical architecture of heterostyly in Primula sinensis. Evolution, 4, 340–352.
Mather, T, and De Winton, D. 1941. Adaptation and counteradaptation of the breeding system in Primula. Ann Bot, 5, 297–311.
Murray, B G. 1986. Floral biology and self-incompatibility in Linum. Bot Gaz, 147, 327–333.
Richards, A J. 1986. Plant Breeding Systems, 1st edn. Allen and Unwin, London.
Richards, A J. 1993. Primula. Batsford, London/Timber, New York.
Shivanna, K R, Helsop-Harrison, J, and Helsop-Harrison, Y. 1983. Heterostyly in Primula. 3. Pollen water economy: a factor in the intramorph incompatibility response. Protoplasma, 117, 175–184.
Wedderburn, F M, and Richards, A J. 1990. Variation in within-morph incompatibility inhibition sites in heteromorphic Primula L. New Phytol, 116, 149–162.
Wedderburn, F M, and Richards, A J. 1992. Secondary homostyly in Primula L.; evidence for the model of the ‘5’ supergene. New Phytol, 121, 649–655.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kurian, V., Richards, A. A new recombinant in the heteromorphy ‘S’ supergene in Primula. Heredity 78, 383–390 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1997.61
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1997.61
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Inheritance of distyly and homostyly in self-incompatible Primula forbesii
Heredity (2023)
-
Global transcriptome and gene co-expression network analyses on the development of distyly in Primula oreodoxa
Heredity (2019)
-
Genetics of distyly and homostyly in a self-compatible Primula
Heredity (2019)
-
Mating pattern of a distylous primrose in a natural population: unilateral outcrossing and asymmetric selfing between sexual morphs
Evolutionary Ecology (2019)
-
Primula vulgaris (primrose) genome assembly, annotation and gene expression, with comparative genomics on the heterostyly supergene
Scientific Reports (2018)