Study on the mechanism of sexual expression of individual flowers in plants due to resource limitation

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07517
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: MIYAZAKI Yuko 岡山大学, 環境生命科学研究科, 准教授 (20443583)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 丑丸 敦史 神戸大学, 人間発達環境学研究科, 教授 (70399327)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 資源制限 / 窒素 / リン / ツユクサ / 花の性表現決定

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It has been suggested that internal resources are involved in the mechanism of plastic sexual expression determination of individual flowers in plants, but the details are unknown. In this study, we tested whether locally occurring resource limitations within individuals could explain the sex determination of individual flowers.
Using Commelina communis f. ciliata, which has hermaphroditic and male flowers in a single plant, we examined the existence of fruiting of first flower (B1) in the inflorescence, and sex expression and resources of next blooming flower (B2). We also performed a comparative transcriptome analysis of male and female flowers. As a result, the decrease of resources in the inflorescence was not remarkable, and the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in the bud of B2 did not differ by the existence of B1 fruiting. These results suggest that the resource limitation in the inflorescence is not a factor that directly controls the sex of B2.

Free Research Field

植物繁殖生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

花の雌雄性については、重要作物等を材料にその分子機構の解明が進んできたが、周囲の環境条件に応じて可塑的な性表現の制御を行う植物における性決定機構に関する研究はこれまでになく、本研究で新たな知見が得られた。また、資源量が植物の花の性表現に影響するかどうかを明らかにすることで、都市化がもたらす資源制限が、種子生産を介して植物の遺伝的多様性や生育地の縮小化を引き起こすかどうかを検討する材料を提供することができる。