A comparative study of distant hybridization in plants and animals.

Abstract

Distant hybridization refers to crosses between two different species, genera, or higher-ranking taxa, which can break species limits, increase genetic variation, and combine the biological characteristics of existing species. It is an important way of creating genetic variation, fertile strains, and excellent characteristics in new strains and populations. Combining analyses and summaries from many inter-related documents in plants and animals, both domestic and international, including examples and long-standing research on distant hybridization in fish from our laboratory, we summarize and compare the similarities and differences in plant and animal distant hybridization. In addition, we analyze and review the biological characteristics of their different ploidy progenies and the possible causes of disparity in survival rates. Mechanisms of sterility in animal and plant distant hybrids are also discussed, and research methods for the study of biological characteristics of hybrids, including morphology, cytology, and molecular cytogenetics are presented. This paper aims to provide comprehensive research materials and to systematically compare the general and specific characteristics of plant and animal hybrids with regards to reproduction, genetics, growth traits, and other biological characteristics. It is hoped that this paper will have great theoretical and practical significance for the study of genetic breeding and biological evolution of plant and animal distant hybridization.