Syncarpy has been interpreted as facilitating pollen tube competition and thus fitness. Can any one explain the reasons?
It is well established that natural populations of many species exhibit variation in the rate of pollen tube growth , but few studies have examined the extent to which differential pollen tube growth rates contribute to reproductive isolation between naturally sympatric species
The major advantage of fast pollen tube growth ratesis assumed to be gametophytic competition in mixed pollen loads . Many studies have suggested that rapid pollen tube growth rates are correlated with increased progeny vigor.This selection pressure in favour of fast pollen tube growth may relax if a species evolves auto gamy, and slower growth may be actively selected if fast tube growth has some cost. In particular, it has been widely proposed that pollen tube growth potential and rate are related to pollen size and that this has co-evolved with a changing style length Such an effect has been found in a range of Prunus and Rhododendron species.
For the answer of the second part of your question you can ask
- William Scott Armbruster E. M. Debevec M. F. Willson to provide you with full text of their publication :
" Evolution of syncarpy in angiosperms: Theoretical and phylogenetic analyses of the effects of carpel fusion on offspring quantity and quality"June 2002,Journal of Evolutionary Biology 15(4):657 - 672.
Dear Dr. Ali Alhayany , I am thankful for your comprehensive explanation and reference recommendation.
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