Abstract
The genetic control of arsenic tolerance in Agrostis capillaris is examined by two experiments, one involving natural seed families collected from the wild and one based on the six basic generations from a cross between a tolerant plant and a non-tolerant plant. Arsenic tolerance is shown to be an inherited characteristic, the tolerant trait being dominant. Control by more than one gene locus is indicated by the data, although the number of loci involved appears to be small. The genetic architecture of this character allows for heritable variation in degree of tolerance among tolerant plants.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Antonovics, J. 1966. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wales.
Antonovics, J, Bradshaw, A D, and Turner, R G. 1971. Heavy metal tolerance in plants. Adv Ecol Res, 7, 1–85.
Cavalli, L L. 1952. An analysis of linkage in quantitative inheritance. In Reeve, E. C. R. and Waddington, C. H. (ed.) Quantitative Inheritance, HMSO, London, pp. 135–144.
Gartside, D W, and McNeilly, T. 1974a. Genetic studies in heavy metal tolerant plants. I. Genetics of zinc tolerance. Heredity, 32, 287–297.
Gartside, D W, and McNeilly, T. 1974b. Genetic studies in heavy metal tolerant plants. II. Zinc tolerance in Agrostis tenuis. Heredity, 33, 303–308.
Humphreys, M O, and Nicholls, M K. 1984. Relationships between tolerance to heavy metals in Agrostis capillaris L. (Agrostis tenuis Sibth.) New Phytol, 98, 177–190.
Jinks, J L, and Jones, R M. 1958. Estimatior of the components of heterosis. Genetics, 43, 223–234.
Jowett, D. 1959. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wales.
Lefébvre, C. 1974. Note sur la genetique de la tolerance au zinc chez Armeria maritima (Mill.) Willd. Bull Soc Roy Bot Belg, 107, 217–222.
MacNair, M R. 1979. The genetics of copper tolerance in the yellow monkey flower, Mimulus guttatus. I. Crosses to nontolerants. Genetics, 91, 553–563.
MacNair, M R. 1981. Tolerance of higher plants to toxic materials. In Bishop, J. M. and Cook, L. M. (ed.) Genetic Consequences of Man-Made Change, Academic Press, London, pp. 177–208.
MacNair, M R. 1983. The genetic control of copper tolerance in the yellow monkey flower, Mimulus guttatus. Heredity, 50, 283–293.
MacNair, M R. 1987a. Heavy metal tolerance in plants: A model evolutionary system. Trends in Evolution and Ecology, 2, 354–359.
MacNair, M R. 1987b. Metal tolerance on mines in Devon: a natural evolutionary experiment. Nature in Devon, 8, 29–44.
MacNair, M R. 1990. The genetics of metal tolerance in natural populations. In Shaw, J. (ed.) Heavy metal tolerance in plants: evolutionary aspects. CRC Press, pp. 235–253.
Mather, K, and Jinks, J L. 1971. Biometncal Genetics Chapman and Hall Ltd., London.
McNeilly, T S. 1965. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wales.
McNeilly, T S. 1968. Evolution in closely adjacent plant populations. III. Agrostis tenuis on a small copper mine. Heredity, 23, 99–108.
Porter, E K, and Peterson, P J. 1977. Arsenic tolerance in grasses growing on mine waste. Environ Pollut, 14, 255–265.
Rocovich, S E, and West, D A. 1975. Arsenic tolerance in a population of the grass Andropogon scoparius Michx. Science, 188, 263–264.
Urquhart, C. 1971. Genetics of lead tolerance in Festuca ovina. Heredity, 26, 19–33.
Walley, K A, Khan, M S I, and Bradshaw, A D. 1974. The potential for evolution of heavy metal tolerance in plants. I. Copper and zinc tolerance in Agrostis tenuis. Heredity, 32, 309–319.
Wilkins, D A. 1960. The measurement and genetical analysis of lead tolerance in Festuca ovina. Rep Scott PI Breed Stn, 85–98.
Wilkins, D A. 1978. The measurement of tolerance to edaphic factors by means of root growth. New Phytol 80, 623–633.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Watkins, A., MacNair, M. Genetics of arsenic tolerance in Agrostis capillaris L.. Heredity 66, 47–54 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1991.6
Received:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1991.6
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Physiological responses of wild grass Holcus lanatus L. to potentially toxic elements in soils: a review
Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2023)
-
Arsenate tolerance in Agrostis castellana and Agrostis delicatula
Plant and Soil (1993)
-
The genetics of arsenate tolerance in Yorkshire fog, Holcus lanatus L.
Heredity (1992)
-
Genetic correlation between arsenate tolerance and the rate of influx of arsenate and phosphate in Holcus lanatus L.
Heredity (1992)
-
Polymorphism and physiology of arsenate tolerance in Holcus lanatus L. from an uncontaminated site
Plant and Soil (1992)
