HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Palleiro, N. Articles by Golubov, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Palleiro, N. Articles by Golubov, J. Agricola Articles by Palleiro, N. Articles by Golubov, J.

Aborted fruits of Opuntia microdasys (Cactaceae): insurance against reproductive failure¹

²Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Laboratorio de Dinámica de Poblaciones y Evolución de Historias de Vida, Apartado Postal 70-275 Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM, C.P. 04510 México, D.F., México; ³Departamento El Hombre y Su Ambiente-CBS-Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco. Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, 04960, México, D.F., México

ABSTRACT

New individuals in clonal populations arise through the recruitment of sexual or clonal offspring. The predominance of one type of regeneration over the other has been correlated with different selective environmental pressures. We compared the reproductive mode (sexual through seeds and vegetative through plantlets or detached cladodes) of Opuntia microdasys from three desert habitats of the Chihuahuan Desert: bajada (BH), hill-piedmont (HPH), and an interdune (IDH). Successful establishment and growth of plantlets were determined in two experiments: (1) the effect of light (three levels of photosynthetically active radiation [PAR]: full, low, and medium) and two levels of watering and (2) maternal effects and provenance of plantlets. Adult plant densities did not differ among habitats (639 individuals/ha), but the number of offspring and fruit production increased significantly at BH. Plantlets (94.3%) dominated the form of recruitment for all habitats, followed by cladodes (3.1%) and seedlings (2.6%). A higher proportion of plantlets established in the low and medium PAR treatments (76%) in comparison to full exposure (39%). Maternal factors affected survival and growth, but plantlet provenance did not. The high fruit abortion rate resulting from environmental and maternal effects provided suitable conditions for establishment of plantlets.

Key Words: clonal propagation • fruit abortion • Opuntia • prickly pear • pseudovivipary • plantlet • sexual recruitment

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. H. Cota-Sanchez and D. D. Abreu Vivipary and offspring survival in the epiphytic cactus Epiphyllum phyllanthus (Cactaceae) J. Exp. Bot., November 1, 2007; (2007) erm232v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]