Rapa Populations Research Articles

Rapeseed cytoplasm gives advantage in wild relatives and complicates genetically modified crop biocontainment

Biocontainment methods for genetically modified crops closest to commercial reality (chloroplast transformation, male sterility) would be compromised (in absolute terms) by seed-mediated gene flow leading to chloroplast capture. Even in these circumstances, however, it can be argued that biocontainment still represses transgene movement, with the efficacy depending on the relative frequency of seed- and pollen-mediated gene flow. In this study, we screened for crop-specific chloroplast markers from rapeseed (Brassica napus) amongst sympatric and allopatric populations of wild B. oleracea in natural cliff-top populations and B. rapa in riverside and weedy populations. We found only modest crop chloroplast presence in wild B. oleracea and in weedy B. rapa, but a surprisingly high incidence in sympatric (but not in allopatric) riverside B. rapa populations. Chloroplast inheritance models indicate that elevated crop chloroplast acquisition is best explained if crop cytoplasm confers selective advantage in riverside B. rapa populations. Our results therefore imply that chloroplast transformation may slow transgene recruitment in two settings, but actually accelerate transgene spread in a third. This finding suggests that the appropriateness of chloroplast transformation for biocontainment policy depends on both context and geographical location.

Spontaneous capture of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) chloroplasts by wild B. rapa: implications for the use of chloroplast transformation for biocontainment

Environmental concerns over the cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) crops largely centre on the ecological consequences following gene flow to wild relatives. One attractive solution is to deploy biocontainment measures that prevent hybridization. Chloroplast transformation is the most advanced biocontainment method but is compromised by chloroplast capture (hybridization through the maternal lineage). To date, however, there is a paucity of information on the frequency of chloroplast capture in the wild. Oilseed rape (Brassica napus, AACC) frequently hybridises with wild Brassica rapa (AA, as paternal parent) and yields B. rapa-like introgressed individuals after only two generations. In this study we used chloroplast CAPS markers that differentiate between the two species to survey wild and weedy populations of B. rapa for the capture of B. napus chloroplasts. A total of 464 B. rapa plants belonging to 14 populations growing either in close proximity to B. napus (i.e. sympatric <5 m) or else were allopatric from the crop (>1 km) were assessed for chloroplast capture using PCR (trnL-F) and CAPS (trnT-L-Xba I) markers. The screen revealed that two sympatric B. rapa populations included 53 plants that possessed the chloroplast of B. napus. In order to discount these B. rapa plants as F(1) crop-wild hybrids, we used a C-genome-specific marker and found that 45 out of 53 plants lacked the C-genome and so were at least second generation introgressants. The most plausible explanation is that these individuals represent multiple cases of chloroplast capture following introgressive hybridisation through the female germ line from the crop. The abundance of such plants in sympatric sites thereby questions whether the use of chloroplast transformation would provide a sufficient biocontainment for GM oilseed rape in the United Kingdom.

Processes affecting genetic structure and conservation: a case study of wild and cultivated Brassica rapa

When planning optimal conservation strategies for wild and cultivated types of a plant species, a number of influencing biological and environmental factors should be considered from the outset. In the present study Brassica rapa was used to illustrate this: to develop Scandinavian conservation strategies for wild and cultivated B. rapa, DNA-marker analysis was performed on 15 cultivated and 17 wild accessions of B. rapa plus 8 accessions of the cross compatible B. napus. The B. rapa cultivars were bred in Sweden and Finland in 1944-1997 and the wild B. rapa material was collected from Denmark, Sweden and United Kingdom. The B. napus accessions were bred within the last 20 years in the Scandinavian countries. Results were based on scoring of 131 polymorphic ISSR markers in the total plant material. A Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach implemented in NewHybrids demonstrated a clear distinction of B. rapa and B. napus individuals except for three individuals that seemed to be backcrosses. The backcrossed hybrids descended from two Swedish populations, one wild and one escaped. The overall pattern of genetic variation and structure in B. rapa showed that cultivated and wild B. rapa accessions formed two almost separated clusters. Geographical origin and breeding history of cultivars were reflected in these genetic relationships. In addition, wild populations from Denmark and Sweden seemed to be closely related, except for a Swedish population, which seemingly was an escaped cultivar. The study point to that many processes, e.g. spontaneous introgression, naturalisation, breeding and agricultural practise affected the genetic structure of wild and cultivated B. rapa populations.

Can we stop transgenes from taking a walk on the wild side?

Whether the potential costs associated with broad-scale use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) outweigh possible benefits is highly contentious, including within the scientific community. Even among those generally in favour of commercialization of GM crops, there is nonetheless broad recognition that transgene escape into the wild should be minimized. But is it possible to achieve containment of engineered genetic elements in the context of large scale agricultural production? In a previous study, Warwick et al. (2003) documented transgene escape via gene flow from herbicide resistant (HR) canola (Brassica napus) into neighbouring weedy B. rapa populations (Fig. 1) in two agricultural fields in Quebec, Canada. In a follow-up study in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Warwick et al. (2008) show that the transgene has persisted and spread within the weedy population in the absence of selection for herbicide resistance. Certainly a trait like herbicide resistance is expected to spread when selected through the use of the herbicide, despite potentially negative epistatic effects on fitness. However, Warwick et al.'s findings suggest that direct selection favouring the transgene is not required for its persistence. So is there any hope of preventing transgene escape into the wild?

Do escaped transgenes persist in nature? The case of an herbicide resistance transgene in a weedy Brassica rapa population

The existence of transgenic hybrids resulting from transgene escape from genetically modified (GM) crops to wild or weedy relatives is well documented but the fate of the transgene over time in recipient wild species populations is still relatively unknown. This is the first report of the persistence and apparent introgression, i.e. stable incorporation of genes from one differentiated gene pool into another, of an herbicide resistance transgene from Brassica napus into the gene pool of its weedy relative, Brassica rapa, monitored under natural commercial field conditions. Hybridization between glyphosate-resistant [herbicide resistance (HR)]B. napus and B. rapa was first observed at two Québec sites, Ste Agathe and St Henri, in 2001. B. rapa populations at these two locations were monitored in 2002, 2003 and 2005 for the presence of hybrids and transgene persistence. Hybrid numbers decreased over the 3-year period, from 85 out of approximately 200 plants surveyed in 2002 to only five out of 200 plants in 2005 (St Henri site). Most hybrids had the HR trait, reduced male fertility, intermediate genome structure, and presence of both species-specific amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. Both F(1) and backcross hybrid generations were detected. One introgressed individual, i.e. with the HR trait and diploid ploidy level of B. rapa, was observed in 2005. The latter had reduced pollen viability but produced approximately 480 seeds. Forty-eight of the 50 progeny grown from this plant were diploid with high pollen viability and 22 had the transgene (1:1 segregation). These observations confirm the persistence of the HR trait over time. Persistence occurred over a 6-year period, in the absence of herbicide selection pressure (with the exception of possible exposure to glyphosate in 2002), and in spite of the fitness cost associated with hybridization.

A demographic and modeling approach to determine the suitability of two hosts, Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Heteroptera: Aphididae) of the aphid parasitoid, Diaeretiella rapae (Mcintosh) (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae)

Previous studies have indicated that although the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) Homoptera/Aphididae, and the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) Homoptera/Aphididae), are both suitable hosts for the aphid parasitoid, Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) Hymenoptera/Aphidiidae, D. rapae prefers B. brassicae because it oviposits more frequently and produces a significantly higher percentage of progeny in B. brassicae. We developed life table parameters for D. rapae reared on B. brassicae and M. persicae to determine whether there really were differences in the suitability of these two hosts. An examination of key life history parameters indicated that M. persicae is the better host of the two. Net replacement rate, birth rate, intrinsic, and finite rates of increase were all higher in D. rapae that developed in M. persicae than in B. brassicae. Although generation time was slightly shorter for D. rapae reared on B. brassicae than on M. persicae, doubling time was also shorter for D. rapae reared on M. persicae compared to B. brassicae. A population model based on demographic data indicated that D. rapae populations would grow much faster when developing on M. persicae compared to B. brassicae. Because D. rapae reared on M. persicae had higher intrinsic rates of increase and shorter doubling time than when reared on B. brassicae, M. persicae is a better host for this parasitoid at least under the environmental conditions of this study. These data also indicate that D. rapae should be a more effective biological control for M. persicae than for B. brassicae.

Transgenic Brassica napus fields and Brassica rapa weeds in Quebec: sympatry and weed-crop in situ hybridization

Hybridization between the herbicide-resistant transgenic crop Brassica napus L. (canola) and its weedy relative Brassica rapa L. (bird rape) has been documented in Quebec. Our goal was to evaluate the actual hybridization potential based on range overlap and actual in situ hybridization rates. This was done by mapping B. napus canola fields, comparing them with the sampling locations of B. rapa herbarium specimens from Quebec, gathering information on the presence of B. rapa in certified canola seed production fields, and surveying for B. rapa populations located in, or close to B. napus field margins. Progeny from these populations were screened for herbicide resistance (HR) and for the presence of the HR transgene. Two fields were also selected to evaluate B. rapa density effects on hybridization rates. Significant sympatry was observed in several areas of the province; hybridization occurred in all eight populations (1.1% to 17.5% hybrid seed) located in field margins and in one (1.1%) out of three populations located less than 10 m from a B. napus field. Hybridization rates decreased exponentially as B. rapa density increased, but interplant rates (0% to 68%) were highly variable. Environmental problems could be generated by the release of B. napus crops with traits conferring fitness benefits in nonmanaged areas.

Towards Positional Cloning in Brassica napus: Generation and Analysis of Doubled Haploid B. rapa Possessing the B. napus pol CMS and Rfp Nuclear Restorer Gene

The Polima (pol) system of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and its fertility restorer gene Rfp are used in hybrid rapeseed production in Brassica napus. To facilitate map-based cloning of the Rfp gene, we have successfully transferred the pol cytoplasm and Rfp from the amphidiploid B. napus to the diploid species B. rapa and generated a doubled haploid pol cytoplasm B. rapa population that segregates for the Rfp gene. This was achieved through interspecific crosses, in vitro rescue of hybrid embryos, backcrosses, and microspore culture. Male fertility conditioned by Rfp was shown to co-segregate in this population with Rfp-specific mitochondrial transcript modifications and with DNA markers previously shown to be linked to Rfp in B. napus. The selfed-progeny of one doubled haploid plant were confirmed to be characteristic B. rapa diploids by cytogenetic analysis. Clones recovered from a genomic library derived from this plant line using the RFLP probe cRF1 fell into several distinct physical contigs, one of which contained Rfp-linked polymorphic restriction fragments detected by this probe. This indicates that chromosomal DNA segments anchored in the Rfp region can be recovered from this library and that the library may therefore prove to be a useful resource for the eventual isolation of the Rfp gene.

A Steep Cline in Flowering Time forBrassica rapain Southern California: Population‐Level Variation in the Field and the Greenhouse

We examined clinal variation in flowering time in a series of Brassica rapa populations occupying a 4‐km‐long urban greenbelt in southern California. Field studies on two populations showed that mean flowering date for populations of this winter annual differed by up to 3 wk during the 1998–1999 season, when an El Niño event elevated precipitation well beyond normal levels. The degree of population difference was compressed in 1999–2000, when drought delayed onset of the growing season. In both years, the population occupying the drier site flowered earlier. Fitness functions, estimated separately for the two sites, indicated directional selection for early flowering in the dry site and a stabilizing component to selection at the wet site. Greenhouse experiments using other populations along the cline and conducted under different photoperiod conditions showed that when grown in a common environment, dry‐site plants flower earlier than wet‐site plants. This indicates a genetic basis for between‐population variation. The degree of among‐population variation in flowering phenology is compressed by long photoperiods.

Winter ecology of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) (Homo., Aphididae) and its parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hym., Braconidae: Aphidiidae)

Abstract: Flower strips near crops may stimulate natural enemies by the provision of nectar and hibernation sites. However, these habitats may also be beneficial for potential pest species. We investigated the dynamics of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) (Homo., Aphididae) and its primary parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hym., Braconidae) in brussels sprout fields and adjoining flower plots in winter. A wide variety of 14 plant species were included in the study, each established as monoculture plots. Brussels sprout fields and flower plots were established at two sites. One site was located in an open agricultural landscape, the other in a landscape dominated by mixed forest. Brevicoryne brassicae and D. rapae were found on brussels sprout plants but not in the flower plots. Brevicoryne brassicae was initially more abundant in the open landscape, but as their densities declined rapidly in time, no living aphids were recovered at both sites by February. The density of aphids parasitized by D. rapae showed a similar trend, but densities of eight mummies per brussels sprout plant were still present by the end of February. These findings suggest that (i) flower species under investigation do not function as sources of B. brassicae and (ii) brussels sprout plants that are not harvested may not only harbour D. rapae populations that may sustain biological control, but are also likely to act as sources of B. brassicae infestation.

Risks and consequences of gene flow from herbicide‐resistant crops: canola (Brassica napus L) as a case study

Data from the literature and recent experiments with herbicide-resistant (HR) canola (Brassica napus L) repeatedly confirm that genes and transgenes will flow and hybrids will form if certain conditions are met. These include sympatry with a compatible relative (weedy, wild or crop), synchrony of flowering, successful fertilization and viable offspring. The chance of these events occurring is real; however, it is generally low and varies with species and circumstances. Plants of the same species (non-transgenic or with a different HR transgene) in neighbouring fields may inherit the new HR gene, potentially generating plants with single and multiple HR. For canola, seed losses at harvest and secondary dormancy ensures the persistence over time of the HR trait(s) in the seed bank, and the potential presence of crop volunteers in subsequent crops. Although canola has many wild/weedy relatives, the risk of gene flow is quite low for most of these species, except with Brassica rapa L. Introgression of genes and transgenes in B rapa populations occurs with apparently little or no fitness costs. Consequences of HR canola gene flow for the agro-ecosystem include contamination of seed lots, potentially more complex and costly control strategy, and limitations in cropping system design. Consequences for non-agricultural habitats may be minor but appear largely undocumented.

METHODOLOGICAL INSIGHTS: The role of satellite image‐processing for national‐scale estimates of gene flow from genetically modified crops: rapeseed in the UK as a model

Summary There is concern over the possibility of unwanted environmental change following transgene movement from genetically modified (GM) rapeseed Brassica napus to its wild and weedy relatives. The aim of this research was to develop a remote sensing‐assisted methodology to help quantify gene flow from crops to their wild relatives over wide areas. Emphasis was placed on locating sites of sympatry, where the frequency of gene flow is likely to be highest, and on measuring the size of rapeseed fields to allow spatially explicit modelling of wind‐mediated pollen‐dispersal patterns. Remote sensing was used as a tool to locate rapeseed fields, and a variety of image‐processing techniques was adopted to facilitate the compilation of a spatially explicit profile of sympatry between the crop and Brassica rapa. Classified satellite images containing rapeseed fields were first used to infer the spatial relationship between donor rapeseed fields and recipient riverside B. rapa populations. Such images also have utility for improving the efficiency of ground surveys by identifying probable sites of sympatry. The same data were then also used for the calculation of mean field size. This paper forms a companion paper to Wilkinson et al. (2003), in which these elements were combined to produce a spatially explicit profile of hybrid formation over the UK. The current paper demonstrates the value of remote sensing and image processing for large‐scale studies of gene flow, and describes a generic method that could be applied to a variety of crops in many countries. Synthesis and applications. The decision to approve or prevent the release of a GM cultivar is made at a national rather than regional level. It is highly desirable that data relating to the decision‐making process are collected at the same scale, rather than relying on extrapolation from smaller experiments designed at the plot, field or even regional scale. It would be extremely difficult and labour intensive to attempt to carry out such large‐scale investigations without the use of remote‐sensing technology. This study used rapeseed in the UK as a model to demonstrate the value of remote sensing in assembling empirical information at a national level.

Identification of RAPD markers linked to recessive genes conferring siliqua shatter resistance in Brassica rapa

AbstractShattering of siliquae causes significant seed loss in canola (Brassica napus) production worldwide. There is little genetic variation for resistance to shatter in canola and, hence, the trait has been studied in B. rapa. Previous studies have shown two randomly segregating recessive genes to be responsible for shatter resistance. Three random amplified polymorphic DNA markers were identified as being linked to shatter resistance using bulked segregant analysis in a F3B. rapa population. The population was derived from a cross between a shatter‐susceptible Canadian cultivar and a shatter‐resistant Indian line. Of the three markers, RAC‐3900 and RX‐71000 were linked to recessive sh1 and sh2 alleles, and SAC‐201300 was linked to both dominant Sh1 and Sh2 alleles. The common marker for the dominant wild‐type allele for the two loci was explained to have resulted from duplication of an original locus and the associated markers through chromosome duplication and rearrangements in the process of evolution of the modern B. rapa from its progenitor that had a lower number of chromosomes. Segregation data from double heterozygous F3 families, although limited, indicated the markers were not linked to each other and provided further evidence for the duplication hypothesis.

TransgenicBt-producingBrassica napus:Plutella xylostellaselection pressure and fitness of weedy relatives

Release of transgenic insect-resistant crops creates the potential not only for the insect pest to evolve resistance but for the escape of transgenes that may confer novel or enhanced fitness-related traits through hybridization with their wild relatives. The differential response of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) populations in eastern and western Canada to Bt-producing (GT) Brassica napus and the potential for enhanced fitness of GT B. napus and weedy GT Brassica rapa x B. napus hybrid populations (F1, BC1, BC2) were studied. Comparative bioassays using neonates and 4th instars showed that GT B. napus and GT B. rapa x B. napus hybrids are lethal to larvae from both populations. No measurable plant fitness advantage (reproductive dry weight) was observed for GT B. napus (crop) and GT B. rapa x B. napus hybrid populations at low insect pressure (1 larva per leaf). At high insect densities (>10 larvae per leaf), vegetative plant weight was not significantly different for GT B. napus and non-GT B. napus, whereas reproductive plant weight and proportion of reproductive material were significantly higher in GT B. napus. Establishment of the Bt trait in wild B. rapa populations may also increase its competitive advantage under high insect pressure.

Genetic variation and relationships of constitutive and herbivore-induced glucosinolates, trypsin inhibitors, and herbivore resistance in Brassica rapa.

We examined genetic variation in inducibility and in constitutive and herbivore-induced levels of glucosinolates, trypsin inhibitors, and resistance to herbivory in families of Brassica rapa originating from a wild population. We also examined phenotypic and genetic correlations among absolute levels of these traits in control and induced plants. We grew seedlings of 10 half-sib families in pairs in pots, and exposed one plant per pair to folivory by Trichoplusia ni larvae. Two days later, we sampled all plants for total glucosinolate and trypsin inhibitor levels and examined the preference and consumption by T. ni larvae of previously damaged (induced) and undamaged (control) plants. There was no significant variation among sire families in the induction of glucosinolates or trypsin inhibitors by T. ni feeding. Total glucosinolate levels in either control or induced plants did not vary by family. In contrast, trypsin inhibitor levels in both control and induced plants varied significantly by family. Trichoplusia ni fed less on induced plants than on control plants in the bioassay, but neither the induction of resistance by prior T. ni feeding nor absolute levels of damage done to control and induced plants varied significantly by sire family. Temporal blocking strongly affected trypsin inhibitor levels and the response of some families in the bioassays. There were no significant phenotypic or genetic correlations of levels of glucosinolates or trypsin inhibitors with each other or with damage in either control or induced plants. Overall, these results suggest that in the B. rapa population that we studied, both total glucosinolate content and biological resistance to herbivory by T. ni was nonvariable and almost universally inducible by prior T. ni feeding. In contrast, control and induced levels of trypsin inhibitors varied genetically and have the capacity to respond to future selection imposed by herbivores. However, the role of these defenses in constitutive or induced resistance to T. ni in this species remains unclear.

The incidence of viruses in wild Brassica rapa ssp. sylvestris in southern England

SummaryUsing enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays, the frequency of occurrence of six viruses was determined in Brassica rapa ssp. sylvestris collected from two Thameside sites (Abingdon and Culham) in Oxfordshire and one near the Avon (Claverton) in Bath &amp; North East Somerset. During 2000–2001, the viruses detected were: Beet western yellows virus (genus Polerovirus) (BWYV), Cauliflower mosaic virus (genus Caulimovirus) (CaMV), Turnip crinkle virus (genus Carmovirus) (TCV), Turnip rosette virus (genus Sobemovirus) (TRoV), and Turnip yellow mosaic virus (genus Tymovirus) (TYMV). BWYV and TYMV were the most frequently detected viruses at the Oxford shire sites, both as single infections (20/1743 and 66/1743 respectively) and as dual infections (7/1743). Turnip mosaic virus (genus Potyvirus) (TuMV) was not detected in the field‐grown plants assayed from any of the sites. There was a highly significant (x2[1]=30.07, P&lt;0.001) difference in the proportion of plants at each Oxfordshire site in which one or more viruses were detected, and essentially the same pattern of virus infection was observed in tests on B. rapa from the site near Claverton. At least one representative isolate of each detected virus was tested for its morphological and serological effects on glasshouse‐grown individuals from different half‐sib families of B. rapa from both Oxfordshire sites. Except for TRoV, where there was a large difference in the frequency of successful infection in B. rapa from the two locations (1/15 vs 11/15), no clear evidence of resistance or immunity to challenge was observed, although tolerance (virus invasion without symptoms) was frequent. Fewer of the plants from Abingdon were infected than those from Culham, when mechanically challenged with TRoV, but the two B. rapa populations were not otherwise consistently different, either in their infectibility by this virus or in their responses to challenge. However, with TCV, viral antigen concentration was closely linked to the severity of disease and the B. rapa from both Oxfordshire sites segregated into two classes: those with symptoms and most viral antigen, and those without symptoms and least viral antigen. These results suggest that generic risk assessments cannot be made due to differences in the way distinct B. rapa populations react to virus challenge.

A direct regional scale estimate of transgene movement from genetically modified oilseed rape to its wild progenitors.

One of the major environmental concerns over genetically modified (GM) crops relates to transgene movement into wild relatives. The pattern of hybridization ultimately affects the scale and rapidity of ecological change and the feasibility of containment. A new procedure for quantifying hybrid formation over large areas is described. Remote sensing was used to identify possible sites of sympatry between Brassica napus and its progenitor species across 15 000 km2 of south-east England in 1998. Two sympatric populations with B. rapa and one with B. oleracea were found over the entire survey area. Every newly recruited plant in these populations in 1999 was screened for hybrid status using flow cytometry and molecular analyses. One hybrid was observed from the 505 plants screened in the B. rapa populations but none of the nine B. oleracea recruits were hybrids. Measures to minimize gene flow are suggested, and a procedure for the post-release evaluation and containment of GM cultivars is proposed.

048 Effects of Inbreeding in a “Wisconsin Fast Plants” Brassica rapa Population

Wisconsin Fast Plants (WFP) are small, rapid-cycling Brassica rapa populations that were developed by Paul Williams in the Dept. of Plant Pathology at the Univ. of Wisconsin, to facilitate classroom demonstration of biological principals. WFP exist as heterogenous populations, which have been selected for expression of different mutant phenotypes. Because of self-incompatibility mechanisms, it has been difficult to develop inbred lines of WFP via self-feritilization. Our objective was to inbreed a WFP population through full-sib mating. Genetic diversity was calculated for eight individuals from each of eight different WFF population, using 69 polymorphic RAPD (molecular marker) bands. The eight different WPF populatons were randomly mated (via chain crossing) for two generations. Six cycles of full-sib mating were initiated on 130 random families. After six cycles of full-sib mating, 79 families remain. The loss of families, during the process of inbreeding, may have been due to selection or drift. However, the expectation is that genetic variance will increase. The 79 inbred families express an array of different WFP phenotypes, e.g., anthocyanin pigmentation, yellow cotyledon, plant height, and seed color at different combinations in different inbred lines.

Fitness of backcross and F2 hybrids between weedy Brassica rapa and oilseed rape(B. napus)

With the cultivation of genetically modified crops, transgenes may spread by introgression from crops into weedy and wild populations of related species. The likelihood of this depends in part on the fitness of first and later generation hybrids. We here present results on the fitness of F2 and backcross hybrids between oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and weedy B. rapa. Two populations of B. rapa, two varieties of B. napus, and their F1 hybrids were used for controlled crosses, and seed development, survival in the field, pollen viability, pod- and seed-set were estimated for the offspring. Offspring from F2 and backcrosses had a reduced fitness relative to their parents for most of the fitness components and for a combined estimate of fitness, with F2 offspring suffering the lowest fitness. Despite their lower fitness on average, some of the hybrids were as fit as the parents. Significant fitness differences were detected between backcross and F2 offspring from different B. rapa populations, B. napus varieties, and parental plants. Our results suggest that introgression of transgenes from oilseed rape to B. rapa will be slowed down, but not hindered, by the low fitness of second generation hybrids.

Fitness of F1 hybrids between weedy Brassica rapa and oilseed rape (B. napus)

As part of an ongoing study of the hybridization biology of cultivated oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and weedy B. rapa, we studied the fitness of hybrids between three weedy B. rapa populations and three varieties of B. napus. Reciprocal pollinations were performed, and the resulting offspring were scored for seed development, survival in the field, pod- and seed-set. Seeds from heterospecific crosses developed within pods in lower proportions than seeds from conspecific crosses. Hybrid offspring survived in the field as frequently as conspecific offspring, and produced many more pods that contained fewer seeds. Combining the fitness components into a multiplicative estimate, we found the hybrids to be intermediate to their parents, and significantly more fit than B. rapa. Significant genotypic differences were detected between offspring produced by different parental plants, populations and varieties for some of the fitness components scored. Our results on hybrid fitness are discussed with respect to the possibility that transgenes in oilseed rape may introgress spontaneously into weedy B. rapa.