Genetic and physiological mechanisms of plant adaptation

Summary

In the period of 1961–1996, as a result team-work with geneticists from Krasnodar and Kharov (A.B. Djakov, P.P. Litun), a new eco-genetical model of organization of quantitative characters was developed. This model differs from the classical G. Mendel one and from K. Mather’s model of polygenic inheritance by the following major attributes: (1) redetermination of the spectrum, genes determining genetical variability of a character, when the limiting factor of the environments is changed; (2) module organization of quantitative characters — one resulting and two components; (3) if there are two known values of three essentail characteristics: (a) adaptive properties of genotypes, (b) definite dynamics of lim-factors, (c) genetic parameters of a population, the possibility to determine quantitatively and definitely any third unknown characteristic.

The new model makes it possible to predict a wide series of situations which could not be predicted before — for example, predictions of transgression, heterosis, genotype-environment interaction phenomenon, genotype, genetic and environmental correlations, configurations of Hayman’s graphs without organization of diallele crossings, amplitudes of genetic variability in characters, number of genes determining the level and genetic variability of a character, etc. On the basis of this model it would be possible to create the quantitative theory of plant ontogenesis.