Reproductive assurance (fertility assurance) occurs as plants have mechanisms to assure full seed set through selfing when outcross pollen is limiting. It is assumed that self-pollination is beneficial, in spite of potential fitness costs, when there is insufficient pollinator services or outcross pollen from other individuals to accomplish full seed set.. This phenomenon has been observed since the 19th century, when Darwin observed that self-pollination was common in some plants.[1] Constant pollen limitation may cause the evolution of automatic selfing, also known as autogamy. This occurs in plants such as weeds, and is a form of reproductive assurance.[2] As plants pursue reproductive assurance through self-fertilization, there is an increase in homozygosity , and inbreeding depression, due to genetic load, which results in reduced fitness of selfed offspring.[3] Solely outcrossing plants may not be successful colonizers of new regions due to lack of other plants to outcross with, so colonizing species are expected to have mechanisms of reproductive assurance - an idea first proposed by Herbert G. Baker and referred to as Baker's "law" or "rule".[4] Baker's law predicts that reproductive assurance affects establishment of plants in many contexts, including spread by weedy plants and following long-distance dispersal, such as occurs during island colonization.[5] As plants evolve towards increase self-fertilization, energy is redirected to seed production rather than characteristics that increased outcrossing, such as floral attractants, which is a condition known as the selfing syndrome.[2]
^Darwin C (2009). The Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/cbo9780511694202.001. ISBN 978-0-511-69420-2.
^ abLloyd DG (1979). "Some Reproductive Factors Affecting the Selection of Self-Fertilization in Plants". The American Naturalist. 113 (1): 67–79. doi:10.1086/283365. S2CID 85354396.
^Busch JW, Delph LF (February 2012). "The relative importance of reproductive assurance and automatic selection as hypotheses for the evolution of self-fertilization". Annals of Botany. 109 (3): 553–62. doi:10.1093/aob/mcr219. PMC 3278291. PMID 21937484.
^Stebbins, GL (1957). "Extreme environments select for reproductive assurance: evidence from evening primroses (Oenothera)". The American Naturalist. 91 (861): 337–354. doi:10.1086/281999.
^Pannell JR, Auld JR, Brandvain Y, Burd M, Busch JW, Cheptou PO, ConnerJK, Goldberg EE, Grant AG, Grossenbacher DL, Hovick SM, Igic B, Kalisz S, Petanidou T, Randle AM, de Casas RR, Pauw A, Vamosi JC, Winn AA (July 2015). "The scope of Baker's law". The New Phytologist. 208 (3): 656–67. doi:10.1111/nph.13539. PMID 26192018.
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Reproductiveassurance (fertility assurance) occurs as plants have mechanisms to assure full seed set through selfing when outcross pollen is limiting...
self-fertilization does provide the benefit of fertilization assurance (reproductiveassurance) at each generation. The Living Planet Index, following 16...
self-fertilization does provide the benefit of fertilization assurance (reproductiveassurance) at each generation. Sexual parasitism is a mode of sexual...
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pollinators or mates are rare, self-fertilisation offers the advantage of reproductiveassurance. Self-fertilisation can therefore result in improved colonisation...
self-pollination in Clarkia xantiana: Population size, plant communities, and reproductiveassurance. Evolution. 59(4):786-99. Media related to Clarkia unguiculata at...
condition is known from the genus Sebaea. It is thought to provide reproductiveassurance. Marloth, R. (1909). "A diplostigmatic plant, Sebaea exacoides (L...
self-fertilization does provide the benefit of “fertilization assurance” (reproductiveassurance) at each generation. Bickley LK, Brown AR, Hosken DJ, Hamilton...
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seem to perform better than self-pollinating plants, this form of reproductiveassurance might have contributed to the success of H. trionum plants in several...
Elena (2012). "Reproductive implications of herkogamy in homostylous primroses: Variation during anthesis and reproductiveassurance in alpine environments"...
1004410. PMC 4072524. PMID 24967630. Dole, Jefferey A. (1992). "ReproductiveAssurance Mechanisms in Three Taxa of the Mimulus guttatus Complex (Scrophulariaceae)"...
ISBN 978-1-4832-9303-5. Fenster, Charles B.; Marten-Rodriguez, Silvana (2007). "ReproductiveAssurance And The Evolution Of Pollination Specialization" (PDF). International...
1004410. PMC 4072524. PMID 24967630. Dole, Jefferey A. (1992). "ReproductiveAssurance Mechanisms in Three Taxa of the Mimulus guttatus Complex (Scrophulariaceae)"...
self-fertilization does provide the benefit of “fertilization assurance” (reproductiveassurance) at each generation. Meiosis can also provide the adaptive...
selection of selfing. Cryptic Self-Incompatibility – A mechanism of reproductiveassurance, pollen competition favors out-cross pollen resulting in complete...
reproductive system characterized by the coexistence of males and hermaphrodites. Androdioecy is rare in comparison with the other major reproductive...
occur late in floral development which raises its potential for reproductiveassurance, and that individual flowers varied in their ability to set fruit...
ISSN 1566-0621. Weekley, C. W. and A. Brothers. (2006). Failure of reproductiveassurance in the chasmogamous flowers of Polygala lewtonii (Polygalaceae)...
(2): 269–276. JSTOR 2424826. Kiang, Y. T.; Hamrick, J. L. (1978). "ReproductiveAssurance Mechanisms in Three Taxa of the Mimulus guttatus Complex (Scrophulariaceae)"...
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