Recognizing others but not yourself: New insights into the evolution of plant mating

(Institute of Science and Technology Austria) Recognition systems have evolved to ensure that a plant mates only with a genetically different plant and not with itself, hence preventing inbreeding. Recognition systems can be found in at least 100 plant families and 40 percent of species but until now, researchers have not known how the astonishing diversity in these systems evolves. Researchers at IST Austria have made steps towards deciphering how new mating types evolve. Their results are published in Genetics.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news