Genome Size of the Diploid Hybrid Species Hippophae goniocarpa and Its Parental Species, H. rhamnoides ssp. sinensis and H. neurocarpa ssp. neurocarpa (Elaeagnaceae)

Hybridization may induce rapid genomic changes, including gain or loss of DNA. We examined nuclear DNA content of a diploid hybrid species, Hippophae goniocarpa and its two parental species. The nuclear 2C DNA value was 2.95±0.08 pg for H. goniocarpa; for the parental species it ranged from 2.54±0.09 pg to 2.66±0.12 pg for H. rhamnoides ssp. sinensis and from 3.15±0.19 pg to 3.49±0.06 pg for H. neurocarpa ssp. neurocarpa. The nuclear DNA content of H. goniocarpa was intermediate between those of the two parental species, confirming that this species is of diploid hybrid origin and further suggesting that it is in an early stage of the process of speciation.