Poster Session #1: South UC Ballroom
Effects of Genetic Diversity on Winter Seed Production
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Ray Callaway
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Division of Biological Sciences
Abstract / Artist's Statement
High species richness, or diversity, can increase productivity, resource cycling, water use, and resistance to exotic invasion in plant communities. However, we know much less about how intraspecific, or genotypic diversity affects such ecosystem functions. Here, I explore the effects of intraspecific diversity in winter wheat on grain production. I constructed a common garden experiment at Fort Missoula in which ten phenotypically diverse genotypes of winter wheat were grown together in small plots. These ten genotypes were each grown in monoculture (one genotype), and mixtures of 3,6, and 10. Results show that polycultures produced larger grain heads than monocultures; polycultures had an average grain mass of 0.90g compared to 0.57g for monocultures. These results support the idea that the positive effects of intraspecific competition can be applied to cash crops as well.
Category
Life Sciences
Effects of Genetic Diversity on Winter Seed Production
South UC Ballroom
High species richness, or diversity, can increase productivity, resource cycling, water use, and resistance to exotic invasion in plant communities. However, we know much less about how intraspecific, or genotypic diversity affects such ecosystem functions. Here, I explore the effects of intraspecific diversity in winter wheat on grain production. I constructed a common garden experiment at Fort Missoula in which ten phenotypically diverse genotypes of winter wheat were grown together in small plots. These ten genotypes were each grown in monoculture (one genotype), and mixtures of 3,6, and 10. Results show that polycultures produced larger grain heads than monocultures; polycultures had an average grain mass of 0.90g compared to 0.57g for monocultures. These results support the idea that the positive effects of intraspecific competition can be applied to cash crops as well.