Population structure and seed yield of a wild stand of Physaria mendocina (Brassicaceae). Implications for its development as an oilseed crop
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.12.22.3.0.1222Keywords:
conservation, perennial forbs, seed-yield, Patagonia, new cropsAbstract
Wild stands of the perennial forb Physaria mendocina (syn Lesquerella mendocina, Brassicaceae), are uncommon, small and inconspicuous. This species, native to the Monte desert, is being evaluated as a new oil-seed crop for arid lands. We evaluated a wild population in the Lihué Calel National Park (La Pampa, Argentina) for three years: 2000, 2001, and 2002. The aims of our study were: 1) to characterize the spatial distribution, density and size structure of this population, and 2) to analyze the relationship between population structure and individual plant seed-production. The relationship between population structure and productivity was evaluated using path analysis. We found an aggregated spatial distribution pattern, with patches of high and low density. The proportion of larger size individuals increased in low density patches, respect to those in with high density in which prevailed smaller individuals. Smaller plants had less biomass accumulation and seed production, and had a greater below ground allocation, in relation to larger plants. Individual total biomass was the main determinant of the observed variation in seed-yield in relations to plant size, while harvest index was very stable across the range of plant diameter. The understanding of functional mechanics of seed production should aid in the conservation of wild stands, and in the domestication of this perennial species.
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