Phenology and Genome Size Variation in Allium L. - a Tight Correlation?

Abstract

A very wide diversity of genome size and phenology has been shown in 75 Allium species belonging to all of the six subgenera. The 2C DNA amounts per genome, which range from 16.93 to 63.57 pg, do not show any significant negative correlation with flowering period or any direct relation with foliage leaf dormancy. This means that there is no general correlation between evolution of genome size and life strategies in the differentiation of the genus Allium. This conclusion is rather unexpected in being contrary to the ecological perspective of the nucleotype theory in the genus Allium.

Key words

Phenology - life strategies - genome size - nuclear DNA content - nucleotype theory - Allium L.

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