Growth and fecundity of colonizing hybrid <i>Raphanus</i> populations are environmentally dependent

Premise Hybrid gene pools harbor more genetic variation than progenitor populations. Thus, we expect hybrid populations to exhibit dynamic evolutionary responses environmental variation. We ask how experienced by adapted and transplanted influence the success of late-generation during invasion. Methods For four generations, 20 wild (Raphanus raphanistrum) radish (R. sativus × R. plant evolved under experimentally manipulated moisture conditions (dry, wet, control-sheltered, or control-unsheltered plots; i.e., environment) in old fields near Toronto, Canada. planted advanced-generation radishes sheltered plots exposed them either an a novel watering environment. To determine soil would invasion success, compared phenotype fecundity plants grown these various environments. Results Hybridization produced larger plants. In wet environments, seedlings emerged frequently expressed higher photosynthetic activity. Low-moisture, delayed reduced seedling emergence frequency. those that relatively environments exhibited aboveground biomass. from control-sheltered colonizing were fecund comparable Conclusions Dry are less likely other contribute colonists. However, locations support evolution plants, especially crop-wild our results provide strong mechanistic explanation for relative hybrids among study new standard studies assess risk hybridization events.