Abstract
BackgroundThe present work aimed to verify whether intermediate variants were natural crosses between Datura species (D. stramonium forms and D. ferox). Their existence has been long ago insinuated but has not been studied using morphological features and molecular tools. The variants differed in stem coloring, upper bearing forks, and fruit characters.ResultsPrincipal Components Analysis of 11 morphological characteristics showed that D. ferox and D. stramonium (forms stramonium and tatula) were quite different and the putative hybrids were intermittent. The D. ferox × D. stramonium f. tatula was closer to the latter of its parents. Sequencing analysis revealed identical amplified trnL intron in all variants and a 100% homology with D. stramonium accession number EU580984.1 suggested that this plastid cannot discern Datura variants. However, genomic analysis with URP markers indicated that the hybrids had >60% genetic makeup similarity with both parents suggesting that the intermediate variants were putative inter-specific hybrids. Moreover, the dendrogram stemmed from cluster analysis of the fingerprint profile of variants placed D. stramonium and D. ferox in different branches indicating their genetic differentiation from each other as well as from their hybrids.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that the natural hybridization of annual Datura species occurs. Extrapolating, this hybridization could be the first step for speciation. More possibly, it can alter population composition, its weediness and adaptability to local conditions.
Highlights
The present work aimed to verify whether intermediate variants were natural crosses between Datura species (D. stramonium forms and D. ferox)
Intermediate characters, inter-fertility, and biochemical additivity are criteria determining the feasibility of inter-specific hybridization [18], and several of them were met in the present study
In statistical terms, of a coherent plant cohort, we found out that the Datura variants were mainly different in stem coloring, upper bearing forks, and fruit characters that were determined
Summary
The present work aimed to verify whether intermediate variants were natural crosses between Datura species (D. stramonium forms and D. ferox). Their existence has been long ago insinuated but has not been studied using morphological features and molecular tools. In Greece, Datura species are considered to be invasive [2], known since antiquity for their narcotic and medicinal actions [3,4]. Nowadays in Greece, D. stramonium L. forms Stramonium is the most common variant found as spring weed in fields, roadsides and dumps and usually coexists. Datura stramonium is a predominantly self-fertilized species but cross-pollination is feasible to some extent by insects like hawkmoths and honeybees [6]. Within Datura populations, there are plants showing herkogamy (anther-stigma separation), which permits outcrossing at low rates ranging from 1.3% to
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