Ploidy effects on the relationship between floral phenotype, reproductive investment and fitness exhibited by an autogamous species complex

Premise The relationships between reproductive investment, phenotype and fitness have been broadly studied in cross-pollinated plants in contrast to selfing species, which are considered less interesting in this area because they are supposed to be a dead-end in any evolutionary pathway. Still, selfing plants are unique systems to study these questions since the position of reproductive structures and traits related to flower size play an important role in female and male pollination success. Method Erysimum incanum s.l. is a selfing species complex exhibiting three levels of ploidy: diploids, tetraploids and hexaploids. This species complex shows traits typically associated with the selfing syndrome. Here, we used 1609 plants belonging to these three ploidies to characterize floral phenotype and spatial configuration of reproductive structures, reproductive investment (pollen and ovules production) and plant fitness. Then, we explored the relationship between all these variables using structural equation modelling across ploidy levels. Key Results An increase in ploidy level leads to bigger flowers with more exerted stamens and a greater amount of pollen and ovules. In addition, hexaploid plants exhibit higher absolute values for herkogamy which is positively correlated with fitness. Phenotypic traits and pollen production are indirectly selected by the relationship among ovules and fitness, maintained across ploidies. Conclusions Changes in floral phenotypes, reproductive investment and fitness with the ploidy level suggests that genome duplication can be a driver for the reproductive strategy transitions by modifying the investment in pollen and ovules and linking them with plant phenotype and fitness.