Triploid block is a phenomenon describing the formation of nonviable
progeny after
hybridization of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s that differ in
ploidy. The barrier is established in the
endosperm, a nutritive tissue supporting
embryo growth.
This phenomenon usually happens when
autopolyploidy
Polyploidy is a condition in which the cells of an organism have more than one pair of ( homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have nuclei ( eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes, where each set contain ...
occurs in
diploid plants. Triploid blocks lead to
reproductive isolation. The triploid block effects have been explained as possibly due to
genomic imprinting in the endosperm.
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References
Botany
Evolution
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