Abstract Detail

Reproductive Processes

Ndem, Jackie [1], Hall, Jessica E.  [1], McDonnell, Angela [2], Martine, Christopher [3].

Differential reward in “male” versus “female” pollen of functionally dioecious Solanum.

Dioecy has arisen several times in Solanum, each time presenting as a morphologically androdioecious breeding system rendered functionally dioecious by the production of inaperturate pollen in morphologically bisexual flowers. The inaperturate pollen produced by functionally female flowers is ingerminable, but is likely retained because pollen represents the only pollinator reward produced in Solanum flowers adapted for buzz pollination. While comparisons of exine morphology have been made between porate (produced in staminate flowers) and inaperturate grains, little has been done to compare biochemical composition as a means to evaluate the potential for differential nutritive rewards depending on flower type. For that reason, we studied the compositional differences between the two pollen types in three dioecious taxa from northern Australia: S. asymmetriphyllum, S. ossicruentum, and S. sejunctum. We also compared these to pollen from the bisexual and staminate flowers of a related andromonoecious taxon, S. ultraspinosum. We extracted proteins with a modified phenol extraction protocol and used a hydrolysis method to quantify the total amino acids along with a profile of total and free amino acids. 

1 - Bucknell University, Biological Sciences, 1 Dent Drive, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, 17837, United States
2 - Bucknell University, Biology, 1 Dent Drive, Bucknell University Biology Department, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, United States
3 - Bucknell University, Biological Sciences, 203 Biology Building, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, United States

Keywords:
Solanum
Solanaceae
dioecy
pollen
pollination
buzz pollination
Australia
andromonoecy
pollen feeding
pollen heteromorphism
inaperturate pollen.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Reproductive Processes
Location: Grand Ballroom - Exhibit Hall/Mayo Civic Center
Date: Monday, July 23rd, 2018
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PRP013
Abstract ID:760
Candidate for Awards:None