The Genetic, Developmental, and Molecular Bases of Fruit Size and Shape Variation in Tomato

A new South American species of Salacia (Celastraceae, Salacioideae) found in Colombia and Venezuela, Salacia fugax Lombardi & M.Serna is described here. It is characterized by its indument, small long acuminate leaves with short petioles, branched inflorescences, flowers with an annular-pulvinate disk, and small pyriform fruits. This new species resembles S. mennegana J.Hedin ex Lombardi and S. opacifolia (J.F.Macbr.) A.C.Sm. by its short petioles, leaf shape, slender branched inflorescence, perianth form, and similar disc, but S. fugax differs by its hairs, leaf size and apex, calyx, and fruit size and shape.

Download Full-text

Inter- and intraspecific variation in the Artibeus species complex demonstrates size and shape partitioning among species

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.11777 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e11777

Author(s):

Brandon P. Hedrick

Keyword(s):

Species Complex ◽

Niche Partitioning ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Interspecific Variation ◽

Cranial Morphology ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Shape Variation ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Ecological Resources ◽

Artibeus Lituratus

Neotropical leaf-nosed bats (family Phyllostomidae) are one of the most diverse mammalian families and Artibeus spp. is one of the most speciose phyllostomid genera. In spite of their species diversity, previous work on Artibeus crania using linear morphometrics has uncovered limited interspecific variation. This dearth of shape variation suggests that differences in cranial morphology are not contributing to niche partitioning across species, many of which are often found in sympatry. Using two-dimensional geometric morphometric methods on crania from eleven species from the Artibeus species complex, the current study demonstrates substantial cranial interspecific variation, sexual size and shape dimorphism, and intraspecific geographic variation. The majority of species were shown to have a unique size and shape, which suggests that each species may be taking advantage of slightly different ecological resources. Further, both sexual size and shape dimorphism were significant in the Artibeus species complex. Male and female Artibeus are known to have sex specific foraging strategies, with males eating near their roosts and females feeding further from their roosts. The presence of cranial sexual dimorphism in the Artibeus species complex, combined with previous work showing that different fruit size and hardness is correlated with different cranial shapes in phyllostomids, indicates that the males and females may be utilizing different food resources, leading to divergent cranial morphotypes. Additional field studies will be required to confirm this emergent hypothesis. Finally, significant geographical shape variation was found in a large intraspecific sample of Artibeus lituratus crania. However, this variation was not correlated with latitude and instead may be linked to local environmental factors. Additional work on ecology and behavior in the Artibeus species complex underlying the morphological variation uncovered in this study will allow for a better understanding of how the group has reached its present diversity.

Download Full-text

Evidence of association among floral and fruit traits and its implication on fruit size and shape in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Australian Journal of Crop Science ◽

10.21475/ajcs.2016.10.09.p7730 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1288-1296 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. I Nnungu ◽

◽

M.I Uguru ◽

Keyword(s):

Solanum Lycopersicum ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Fruit Traits ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Fruit Size And Shape

Download Full-text

Frugivore gape size and the evolution of fruit size and shape in southern hemisphere floras

Austral Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1442-9993.2004.01382.x ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 430-436 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

JANICE M. LORD

Keyword(s):

Southern Hemisphere ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Gape Size ◽

Fruit Size And Shape

Download Full-text

Variation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit size and shape results from multiple components acting pre-anthesis and post-pollination

Planta ◽

10.1007/s00425-017-2721-9 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 246 (4) ◽

pp. 641-658 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Marivi Colle ◽

Yiqun Weng ◽

Yunyan Kang ◽

Ron Ophir ◽

Amir Sherman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cucumis Sativus ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Cucumis Sativus L ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Multiple Components ◽

Fruit Size And Shape

Download Full-text

Detection of QTL Controlling Fruit Size and Shape in Cucumis melo L.

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.39.4.774e ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 774E-775

Author(s):

Soon O. Park* ◽

Kevin M. Crosby

Keyword(s):

Rapd Markers ◽

Bulked Segregant Analysis ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Fruit Traits ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Large Bulk ◽

Dna Fragment ◽

Fruit Size And Shape

Mature fruit size and shape are important traits of most melon types. Our objective was to identify RAPD markers associated with major QTL affecting fruit weight, length, diameter and shape by means of bulked segregant analysis in an F2 population from the ananas melon cross of Deltex (larger fruit size) × TGR1551 (smaller fruit size). Clear separations for fruit weight, length, diameter, and shape between Deltex and TGR1551 were observed. Continuous distributions for fruit weight, length, diameter and shape were found in the F2 population indicating quantitative inheritance for the fruit traits. Significant positive correlations were detected between fruit weight and shape traits (r = 0.73 to 0.80). A significant positive correlation was observed between fruit weight and glucose (r = 0.35) or fructose (r = 0.25), whereas no correlation was noted between fruit weight and sucrose or total soluble solids. Two small and large bulks for fruit weight and shape were developed from F2 plants. A total of 240 primers were used to simultaneously screen between the small and large bulks, and between Deltex and TGR1551. Twenty-six RAPD markers were polymorphic for the small and large bulks. Ten markers were found to be significantly and consistently associated with fruit size and shape traits on the basis of simple linear regression. Of the 10 markers associated, four displayed an amplified DNA fragment in the small bulk, while six showed an amplified DNA fragment in the large bulk. The associated marker OJ07.350 explained 15% to 27% of the phenotypic variation for the fruit traits. These markers associated with QTL for melon fruit size and shape are expected to be useful in melon breeding programs for modifying fruit size.

Download Full-text