Journal Article

Cytological analysis of flower development, insights into suitable growth area and genomic background: implications for Glehnia littoralis conservation and sustainable utilization

Cheng, Yan, Qin, Yuan, Chen, Jiayi, Jiang, Runfa, Zhao, Heming, Lu, Lin, An, Chang, Liu, Xiaofen, Zheng, Ping, Liu, Ruoyu, Ye, Kangzhuo, Yao, Yixin

2024

Overview

Background Glehnia littoralis F. Schmidt ex Miq., an endangered plant species with significant medicinal, edible, and ecological value, is now a central concern for conservation and sustainable utilization. Investigating the physiological and ecological mechanisms leading to its endangerment and elucidating its genetic background constitutes the foundation for conducting in-depth research on G. littoralis . Results Our observations have revealed a significant degree of floral sterility in wild populations of G. littoralis . The inflorescences of G. littoralis are classified into three types: completely fertile, completely sterile, and partially fertile compound umbels. Moreover, the flowers of G. littoralis can be categorized into fertile and sterile types. Sterile flowers exhibited abnormalities in the stigma, ovary, and ovules. This study is the first to discover that the presence or absence of a giant cell at the funiculus during the initiation of ovule primordium determines whether the flower can develop normally, providing cytological evidence for female sterility in G. littoralis . Conversely, both fertile and sterile flowers produced normally developed pollen. Field observations have suggested that robust plants bear more fertile umbels, while weaker ones have fewer or even no fertile umbels, indicating a close relationship between flower fertility and plant nutritional status. Our model correctly predicted that the eastern coastal regions of China, as well as prospective areas in Neimenggu and Sichuan, are suitable environments for its cultivation. Additionally, Using flow cytometry and genome survey, we estimated the genome size of G. littoralis to be 3.06 Gb and the heterozygosity to be 4.58%. Conclusion The observations and findings presented in this study were expected to provide valuable insights for further conserving its genetic resources and sustainable utilization of G. littoralis .

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Abnormalities / Abortion / Agriculture / Aluminum / Apiaceae / Apiaceae - genetics / Apiaceae - growth & development / Biology / Biomedical and Life Sciences / China / Coastal zone / Conservation / Conservation of Natural Resources / Digital cameras / ecological value / Endangered plants / Endangered Species / Environmental aspects / Ethanol / female fertility / Females / Fertility / Flow cytometry / Flower development / flowering / Flowers / Flowers & plants / Flowers - genetics / Flowers - growth & development / Genetic aspects / genetic background / Genetic diversity / Genetic resources / genome / Genome, Plant / Genomic analysis / Genomic background / Genomics / giant cells / Glehnia littoralis / Growth / Heterozygosity / Life Sciences / Medicinal plants / Medicine, Botanic / Medicine, Herbal / Methyl salicylate / Microscopy / Morphology / Nutritional status / Ovaries / Ovules / Plant Infertility - genetics / Plant reproductive structures / Plant Sciences / Plant species / Plants (botany) / Pollen / Population genetics / Potassium / Software / Sterility / stigma / Stigmas (botany) / Suitable growth area / surveys / Sustainability / Sustainable development / Traditional Chinese medicine / Tree Biology / Utilization / Wildlife conservation