Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for Conservation

<i>Ranunculus illyricus</i>, a component of xerothermic grasslands, is a declining species and deserves active conservation treatments in many countries preceded by studies on the biology of its reproduction. So far, our knowledge of <i>R. illyricus</i>, a species with two mo...

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Main Authors: Dawid Kocot, Ewa Sitek, Barbara Nowak, Anna Kołton, Krystyna Towpasz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-06-01
Series:Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/6/873
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author Dawid Kocot
Ewa Sitek
Barbara Nowak
Anna Kołton
Krystyna Towpasz
author_facet Dawid Kocot
Ewa Sitek
Barbara Nowak
Anna Kołton
Krystyna Towpasz
author_sort Dawid Kocot
collection DOAJ
description <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i>, a component of xerothermic grasslands, is a declining species and deserves active conservation treatments in many countries preceded by studies on the biology of its reproduction. So far, our knowledge of <i>R. illyricus</i>, a species with two modes of reproduction, has been fragmentary. The purpose of the studies presented here was to describe the annual development cycle of <i>R. illyricus</i> with particular emphasis on the production of underground tuber clusters that serve as vegetative propagation. Based on three-year-long observations in an ex situ collection, the efficiency of vegetative propagation was estimated and compared with the efficiency of generative propagation. It was found that in 3 years the best clones could produce up to 57 progeny clusters followed by flowering specimens in the first season. Meanwhile, the high potential for generative reproduction was suppressed by many limitations including fruit setting, the germination capacity of seeds, seedling survival rate, and additionally, the first flowering plant was observed only in the third year. It seems that the efficiency of vegetative propagation of this species can be higher than the efficiency of generative propagation. Moreover, vegets bloomed in the first year after emergence, whereas the first plant of generative origin was observed to bloom only after 3 years. A large proportion of individuals of vegetative origin can negatively affect the genetic diversity of the population but their survival rate against competing plants is higher. To enhance the existing populations or to create new ones, it would be best to use plants derived from clonal propagation of genets carried out in ex situ conditions.
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spelling doaj.art-06976bbef7c04edabf1d1d48364f9d0e2023-11-23T15:39:43ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-06-0111687310.3390/biology11060873Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for ConservationDawid Kocot0Ewa Sitek1Barbara Nowak2Anna Kołton3Krystyna Towpasz4Department of Botany, Physiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, PolandDepartment of Botany, Physiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, PolandDepartment of Botany, Physiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, PolandDepartment of Botany, Physiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, PolandDepartment of Plant Ecology, Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Krakow, Poland<i>Ranunculus illyricus</i>, a component of xerothermic grasslands, is a declining species and deserves active conservation treatments in many countries preceded by studies on the biology of its reproduction. So far, our knowledge of <i>R. illyricus</i>, a species with two modes of reproduction, has been fragmentary. The purpose of the studies presented here was to describe the annual development cycle of <i>R. illyricus</i> with particular emphasis on the production of underground tuber clusters that serve as vegetative propagation. Based on three-year-long observations in an ex situ collection, the efficiency of vegetative propagation was estimated and compared with the efficiency of generative propagation. It was found that in 3 years the best clones could produce up to 57 progeny clusters followed by flowering specimens in the first season. Meanwhile, the high potential for generative reproduction was suppressed by many limitations including fruit setting, the germination capacity of seeds, seedling survival rate, and additionally, the first flowering plant was observed only in the third year. It seems that the efficiency of vegetative propagation of this species can be higher than the efficiency of generative propagation. Moreover, vegets bloomed in the first year after emergence, whereas the first plant of generative origin was observed to bloom only after 3 years. A large proportion of individuals of vegetative origin can negatively affect the genetic diversity of the population but their survival rate against competing plants is higher. To enhance the existing populations or to create new ones, it would be best to use plants derived from clonal propagation of genets carried out in ex situ conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/6/873tubersprogeny plants<i>Illyrian buttercup</i>clonal plants
spellingShingle Dawid Kocot
Ewa Sitek
Barbara Nowak
Anna Kołton
Krystyna Towpasz
Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for Conservation
Biology
tubers
progeny plants
<i>Illyrian buttercup</i>
clonal plants
title Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for Conservation
title_full Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for Conservation
title_fullStr Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for Conservation
title_full_unstemmed Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for Conservation
title_short Reproductive Biology of Dry Grassland Specialist <i>Ranunculus illyricus</i> L. and Its Implications for Conservation
title_sort reproductive biology of dry grassland specialist i ranunculus illyricus i l and its implications for conservation
topic tubers
progeny plants
<i>Illyrian buttercup</i>
clonal plants
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/6/873
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