VALEUR COMPETITIVE DES PLANTES AUTOTETRAPLOIDES D'ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA

Abstract

In mixed cultures, an induced autotetraploid strain of Arabidopsis thaliana could supersede the original diploid. The fitness of these tetraploid plants was elucidated by comparing some factors acting on plant competition. The tetraploids were generally higher for seed germination and number of pods, but generally showed a later flowering and a lower seed number per pod. The whole balance was on behalf of the tetraploid strain. On the other hand the chromosome doubling did not impair the mitotic activity in Arabidopsis meristematic cells, and this fact may explain the growth and fitness of the tetraploid plants of that species.