Introgressive hybridization in plants

Plant breeders also manipulate their subjects to hybridize in order to optimize their hardiness, appearance, or whatever desired traits they want to select for.

Through experimentation and improved phylogenetic testing capabilities, we now see that the ability to produce fertile hybrid offspring varies by genus, within the plant kingdom.

Once introgression occurs, the resulting offspring display a wide array of color combinations, as well as varying flower size.

[4] Differential introgression of chloroplasts and nuclear genomes was first seen among the common sunflower (Helianthus annuus ssp.

Within a particular region, the population showed differences in morphological features which indicated there may be hybridization with H. debilis ssp cucumenifolius.

Researchers discovered that these H. a. texanus contained chloroplast DNA from H. d. cucumennfolius, indicating introgression had occurred in one direction.

[5] Hybridization among poplars is common where ever populations overlap, however the degree of introgression varies greatly depending on the species.