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Effects of triploid status on growth, photosynthesis, and leaf area in Populus

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The growth vigor of Populus triploid groups explained by higher photosynthetic rate in the vertical canopy gradient, higher relative chlorophyll content, and larger leaf area, compared to diploid group.

Abstract

Polyploids show vegetative growth superiority compared to diploids, however, the reason remains unclear. Here, we explored this observation based on variations in 12 phenotypic traits including vegetative growth, leaf area, and photosynthesis using 120 genotypes with three allotriploid groups of different heterozygosities (obtained using three types of 2n gametes) and one diploid group obtained from the same parents in Populus. Wide ranges in phenotypic variation (2.70–38.34 %) were detected in all traits within the progeny population. In addition, the vegetative growth traits, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), relative chlorophyll content index (CCI), leaf area (LA), and photosynthetic efficiency of whole leaves (PEw) in the polyploid group were significantly higher than those in the diploid group, indicating that certain polyploid groups had greater advantages in these respects. However, there were also significant differences in vegetative growth, Pn, LA, and PEw among the three allopolyploid groups, which probably resulted from the 2n gametes with different origins transferring different heterozygosities. Furthermore, a higher Pn of vertical canopy gradient photosynthesis was observed in triploid groups compared to the diploid group. In general, the greater vegetative growth advantages in relation to photosynthesis in the triploid groups were explained by three reasons including a higher Pn which probably resulted from a higher CCI, a higher PEw mainly caused by a larger LA, and a lower aging rate of mature leaves.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the staff of Guanxian nursery in Shandong Province, China for their providing of experimental field. We were also grateful to the anonymous reviewers and editors for their constructive comments. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31530012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Ting Liao, Xiaohu Zhu, Yu Min & Xiangyang Kang

  2. Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Ting Liao, Xiaohu Zhu, Yu Min & Xiangyang Kang

  3. Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, Henan, People’s Republic of China

    Shiping Cheng

  4. College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, No. 311, East Nongda Road, Urumqi, 830052, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaohu Zhu

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  1. Ting Liao
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Correspondence to Xiangyang Kang.

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Communicated by R. Alia.

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468_2016_1352_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Fig. S1 (a-l) Phenotypic variation of 12 traits measured in diploid and triploid groups. a: H; b: D; c: Pn; d: Gs; e: Ci; f: Tr; g: WUEi; h: CCI; i: LA; j: PEw; k: Fv/Fm; l: Fv/Fo. Abbreviations: H: height; D: diameter at base; Pn: net photosynthetic rate; Gs: stomatal conductance; Ci: intercellular carbon dioxide concentration; Tr: transpiration rate; WUEi: instantaneous water use efficiency; CCI: chlorophyll content index; LA: leaf area; PEw: photosynthetic efficiency of whole leaf; Fv/Fm: the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII; Fv/Fo: the potential photochemical efficiency of PSII (TIFF 313 kb)

468_2016_1352_MOESM2_ESM.tif

Fig. S2 (a-l) Distribution pattern for each trait measured across the progeny population (n = 120). a: H; b: D; c: Pn; d: Gs; e: Ci; f: Tr; g: WUEi; h: CCI; i: LA; j: PEw; k: Fv/Fm; l: Fv/Fo. Abbreviations: H: height; D: diameter at base; Pn: net photosynthetic rate; Gs: stomatal conductance; Ci: intercellular carbon dioxide concentration; Tr: transpiration rate; WUEi: instantaneous water use efficiency; CCI: chlorophyll content index; LA: leaf area; PEw: photosynthetic efficiency of whole leaf; Fv/Fm: the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII; Fv/Fo: the potential photochemical efficiency of PSII (TIFF 475 kb)

468_2016_1352_MOESM3_ESM.tif

Fig. S3 (a-l) Distribution pattern for each trait measured in the diploid and triploid groups. a: H; b: D; c: Pn; d: Gs; e: Ci; f: Tr; g: WUEi; h: CCI; i: LA; j: PEw; k: Fv/Fm; l: Fv/Fo. Abbreviations: H: height; D: diameter at base; Pn: net photosynthetic rate; Gs: stomatal conductance; Ci: intercellular carbon dioxide concentration; Tr: transpiration rate; WUEi: instantaneous water use efficiency; CCI: chlorophyll content index; LA: leaf area; PEw: photosynthetic efficiency of whole leaf; Fv/Fm: the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII; Fv/Fo: the potential photochemical efficiency of PSII (TIFF 732 kb)

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Liao, T., Cheng, S., Zhu, X. et al. Effects of triploid status on growth, photosynthesis, and leaf area in Populus . Trees 30, 1137–1147 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-016-1352-2

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