Rubén Torices Blanco
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (under supervision of Dr. Marcos Méndez)

RESEARCH:

Although most angiosperms are hermaphroditic, other breeding systems (andromonoecy, gynomonoecy, monoecy, androdioecy, gynodioecy, subdioecy, dioecy) have evolved in many lineages. This is true from Asteraceae, where hermaphroditic, andromonoecious, gynomonoecious, monoecious, trimonoecious, gynodioecious and dioecious taxa are found.  The aim of this project is to study the evolution of these non-hermaphroditic breeding systems in Asteraceae: (1)By using phylogenetic supertrees and comparative methods, to assess how many independent times these non-hermaphroditic breeding systems have evolved, and to find out the pathways followed in the evolution of dioecy (through monoecy or through gynodioecy) (2) To assess whether current position effects in the gender of flowers within the capitula are remnants of the mechanisms that led to the evolution of non-hermaphroditic breeding systems, by comparing the performance of seeds coming from different positions of the capitulum in a range of species with contrasting breeding systems.

 

J.D. Fernández Julio 2008