Evolutionary History of the Leguminous Flower

The contemporary evolutionary developmental biology includes molecular phylogeny, studies on morphology and morphogenesis, genetics, and genomics. The most reliable conclusions about main trends of floral evolution can result from investigations of highly polymorphic group, which is precisely characterized from the positions of both modern systematics and molecular developmental biology. The legume family, Leguminosae, is a group of such kind. It demonstrates an outstanding variation in flower structure. The ancestral floral structure in this family includes monosymmetry, pentacycly, pentamerous perianth and androecium, and a monomerous gynoecium. However, distinct evolutionary lineages resulted in origin of polysymmetric perianth, different patterns of staminal reduction or polymerization, as well as multicarpellate gynoecium. A strikingly high level of homoplasy is found in Leguminosae. Besides the existing evolutionary tendency to stabilize floral structure, the exact “instability syndrome” evolved repeatedly, associated with a polysymmetry and characterized with a highly variable number and position of floral organs

Garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in Russian folk culture

This paper aims to briefly review how a garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) is imprinted in the folk culture of Russian-speaking territories. Having been the most important legume of this territory for millennia, this plant left its traces in local and personal names, proverbs and idioms. Some of these pieces of folklore may help to reconstruct the phenotype of peas cultivated in the old Russia

Vavilovia, pea and other representatives of tribe Fabeae (Fabaceae): relation and similarity

Охарактеризованы два основных подхода к изучению эволюционных процессов: определение родства филогенетическими методами и изучение биологии адаптаций. На примере собственных работ по изучению биологии развития представителей трибы Fabeae (сем. Fabaceae) проанализирована связь между филогенетическим родством и сходством в проявлении некоторых адаптивных признаков. В ряду рассмотренных признаков – морфология и особенности онтогенеза сложного листа, число первых чешуевидных листьев, характер поверхности семенной кожуры.Two basic approaches to study of evolutionary processes have been characterized, viz. investigation of relation with means of phylogeny and study of adaptive biology. Some of original results obtained on developmental biology of members of Fabeae tribe (family Fabaceae) were reviewed. Basing on these results, the connection between phylogenetic relation and adaptive similarity was analyzed. The scored features are morphology and ontogenetic features of compound leaves, number of first scale-like leaves, and character of seed coat surface

Seed propagation in four perennial species of Astragalus (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae, Galegeae): productivity, non-random seed abortion and germination rate

The largest angiosperm genus Astragalus exhibits a wide range of morphological variation regarding flowers, inflorescences and especially pods. As a result, some of its species are widely distributed, while others are local endemics and often threatened. It is of significant interest to trace features which provide a higher success for some species under conditions, where their relatives are depressed. Four perennial species of Astragalus from central Russia served as models for this comparative survey, viz. A. cicer, A. glycyphyllos, A. arenarius, and A. danicus. The two former species are widely distributed and rarely included into the regional Red Lists, while the two latter are comparatively rare and considered endangered in several regions. Only a relatively small fraction of ovules develops into fully mature seeds in all four species. Basing on the results of comparative study, it was hypothesised that the main sources of prosperity are a high potential productivity (measured as a number of ovules per seasonal shoot) and pronounced seed dormancy, typically physical. A number of produced ovules is substantially dependent on synflorescence morphology. The feature common for all examined species of Astragalus and distinguishing of the whole genus is an unusual biseriate arrangement of ovules in an ovary, which is probably adaptive for many-seeded fruits exhibiting non-random seed abortion

Correlations of genome size with sizes of pollen grains and some associated reproductive characteristics in tribe Fabeae (Fabaceae).

Семейство Бобовые (Fabaceae Lindl. s.s., Leguminosae Juss.) является третьим по величине семейством покрытосеменных растений. Для этого таксона характерно практически повсеместное распространение по планете и большое разнообразие жизненных форм. Это семейство также является рекордсменом по числу окультуренных представителей (Harlan, 1992). Всё перечисленное делает описываемую группу интересным объектом для изучения экологии и эволюции растений, а также биологии развития.Analysis of effect of genome size (C-value) on sizes of pollen grains together with some other markers of reproductive strategy was conducted in tribe Fabeae of family Fabaceae (Leguminosae). A comparatively weak correlation between C-value and sizes of pollen grain was found which, however, does not seem determinant in evolution of reproduction in this taxon. A link between DNA content and duration of life cycle was also revealed. Annual species of Lathyrus have comparatively large average C-values while perennials have smaller or larger genomes. An inversed relation is characteristic for genus Vicia. A genome size seemingly affects the reproductive strategy of tribe Fabeae but this influence is conditioned by life duration

Phenotypes of Floral Nectaries in Developmental Mutants of Legumes and What They May Tell about Genetic Control of Nectary Formation

The third largest angiosperm family, Leguminosae, is remarkable with the outstanding diversity of its flowers, usually monosymmetric and adapted to different pollination strategies. A key attractant of leguminous flowers is nectar. Compared with Arabidopsis (Brassicaceae), very little is known about regulation of floral nectaries development in legumes. This work aimed to investigate details of these nectaries’ morphology in flowers of mutants of different legume species. It was found that the changes in identity of petals and stamens usually do not affect a proper structure and position of nectaries in leguminous flowers, thus suggesting a high stability of attracting structures versus the pronounced plasticity of perianth and stamens. Some of genes involved in regulation of nectary development in Arabidopsis seem to have the same functions in legumes. The principal difference between Arabidopsis and legumes is connected with a flower monosymmetry in most representatives of the latter taxon, which is also reflected in structure of their floral nectaries

Statistical errors and how to avoid them, or notes on correct analysis of quantitative data in breeding

Все этапы селекционной работы предполагают получение и обработку количественных данных. Корректный статистический анализ позволяет делать адекватные выводы и сопоставлять результаты, полученные разными исследователями. При анализе публикаций в журнале «Зернобобовые и крупяные культуры» выявлены некоторые ошибки, наиболее часто встречающиеся при анализе количественных данных. Среди них использование параметрических методов (коэффициента корреляции Пирсона, t-критерия Стьюдента) без предварительной оценки характера распределения исследуемых признаков; неудачный выбор показателя центра распределения (среднее арифметическое вместо медианы); оперирование средними значениями без указания величины разброса; приведение результатов статистического анализа без оценки достоверности и некоторые другие. Отдельные процедуры анализа проиллюстрированы на примере собственных данных, полученных при описании коллекции гороха посевного. Предложен алгоритм, который может позволить снизить риск некорректного использования статистических приемов.All stages of breeding process involve acquisition and processing of quantitative data. The correct statistical analysis provides a possibility to draw adequate conclusions and make results of different researches comparable. When analyzing papers published in ‘Zernobobovye i Krupyanye Kul’tury’ (‘Legumes and Groat Crops’), we found several frequent errors in statistical analysis. Among them, one may list use of parametric methods (such as Pearson’s correlation coefficient or Student’s t-test) without preliminary evaluation of distribution of variables, ineffective choice of ‘most typical’ value (mean instead of median), use of means without illustrating the amount of variation, demonstrating the results of statistical analysis without estimates of their statistical significance etc. Some of analytical procedures were exemplified by own data from phenotyping of germplasm collection of a garden pea. An algorithm was also proposed which may reduce the risk of incorrect use of statistical methods

Mutation Genetics of Pea (Pisum sativum L.): What is Done and What is Left to Do

Together with an outstanding practical value, garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) represents a classical model object for studies on ontogeny of compound inflorescence, compound leaf, zygomorphic flower and nodulation. Both crop improvement and developmental researches become possible, as a range of natural variation was broadened by mutations. A contemporary state of mutation genetics in pea is reviewed with special reference to genetics of ontogeny and practical value

On the Role of Genes DETERMINATE, LATE FLOWERING and FASCIATA in the Morphogenesis of Pea Inflorescence

The effects of mutations determinate (det), late flowering (lf), fasciata (fa, fas), and nodulation4 (nod4) on development of inflorescence in pea were characterized. All listed mutations distort functions of stem apical meristem and influence development of axillary flower-bearing axis (short paracladium) leading to formation of terminal flower and bracts. Structure of flower terminating short paracladium was analyzed and hypothesis on origin of its structure was proposed. Scheme of genetic network in control of inflorescence development in pea was designed

Mutations of determinate growth and their application in legume breeding

Mutations which cause determinate growth pattern in different leguminous species are briefly reviewed. Both their molecular basis and breeding value are in scope. With rare exceptions, the most part of cultivated legumes are characterized with an indeterminate growth pattern, when annual shoot proliferates unlimitedly producing new leaves and axillary racemose inflorescences. The presented short survey on mutations causing determinate growth type (DT) in few legume species may lead to conclusion that genetic basis for different DT types persists through evolution of the family. TFL1-dependent control of inflorescence structure seems conservative among Fabaceae, as mutations in TFL1 orthologs cause similar phenotype