Answer to Question #140938 in Genetics for Manisha

Question

Why is ploidy more common in plants?

Answer 1

Polyploidy is a situation in which an organism possesses more than two sets of homologous chromosomes, primarily as a result of total nondisjunction of chromosomes during either meiosis or mitosis. Polyploidy is more common in plants, some frogs and fish. Scientists have discovered that various species have varying levels of tolerance to polyploidy. By estimation, more than half of flowering plants are polyploid with 99% of ferns and 80% of species of the grass family.

 Besides, more advanced vertebrates have lower levels of tolerance to polyploidy, actually among 10% of spontaneous abortions in humans are believed to be as a result of the formation of polyploid zygotes. Plants are more tolerant to gene duplication as compared to animals due to the possession of a more flexible body plan than those of animals and can also easily cope up with the anatomical changes that might be a result of such duplication events.