A comparative study of the relative fitness of Raphanus raphanistrum with a wild/weedy-crop hybrid, Raphanus raphanistrum/Raphanus sativus.

Abstract

The purpose of my project was to compare the relative fitness of R. sativus / R. raphanistrum (wild/crop hybrid) with wild R. raphanistrum in order to evaluate the potential for transgenic introgression into wild populations. This study is similar to Klinger and Ellstrand's (1994) study except that it involves an interspecific hybrid comparison. Unlike the study by Panetsos and Baker (1968), I attempted to use larger sample size and more rigorous statistics, and to examine components of lifetime fitness in wild and wild/crop hybrids. The variables used to assess the overall fitness of the hybrid versus the wild type were percent germination, days until emergence, total leaf area prior to bolting, pollen viability, number of ovules per flower, seeds per flower, flower numbers, seed numbers, and pollinator preferences. The days from planting until flowering, flower color and root type were also compared qualitatively.