Mating strategies of Vitex negundo L. var. heterophylla (Franch.) Rehder
(Lamiaceae): a mixed mating system with inbreeding depression.
Abstract
Plant reproductive ecology is one of the research hotspots in ecology.
With the increasing attention paid to the conservation of plant
diversity, the research on reproductive characteristics and flowering
biological characteristics of more species has attracted more attention.
However, plant reproduction is affected by multiple interacting factors
such as pollen limitation and resource availability. Vitex. negundo var.
heterophylla (Franch.) Rehder (Lamiaceae) is a basilic species for water
and soil conservation. Previous studies have revealed its mating system
by the biological characteristics of flowering and SSR markers, but its
reproductive strategies remains to be further studied.We evaluated
reproductive success through artificial pollination to explore the
reproductive characteristics of V. negundo var. heterophylla for the
first time.From the results of fruit set, there is a mixed mating system
dominated by outcrossing in V. negundo var. heterophylla accompanied by
self-compatibility, and it cannot carry out autonomous selfing. Our data
shows the pollinator-mediated interaction in the success of
reproduction, whereas the effect of anemophily is very weak. And the
seed germination rate of inbred line progenies was lower than that of
hybrid progenies, which is suspected to be caused by inbreeding
depression. The research will provide a scientific information for the
protection and conservation of V. negundo var. heterophylla from the
point of view of reproduction. In parallel, the results are necessary to
protect zoophily in the background of insect decline.