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Ch. 24 - The Origin of Species
Chapter 24, Problem 6

Plant species A has a diploid chromosome number of 12. Plant species B has a diploid number of 16. A new species, C, arises as an allopolyploid from A and B. The diploid number for species C would probably be a. 14. b. 16. c. 28. d. 56.

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1
Understand the concept of allopolyploidy: Allopolyploidy is a type of polyploidy where an organism contains sets of chromosomes from two or more different species. This usually occurs when two different species hybridize and then undergo chromosome doubling.
Identify the chromosome numbers of the parent species: Species A has a diploid chromosome number of 12, and species B has a diploid chromosome number of 16.
Determine the chromosome contribution from each parent to the hybrid: In the case of allopolyploidy, the hybrid species C would initially have the sum of the chromosome numbers from species A and B before chromosome doubling. This sum is 12 (from A) + 16 (from B) = 28.
Apply the concept of chromosome doubling: After the initial hybridization, the chromosome number typically doubles to stabilize the genome. Therefore, the new diploid number for species C would be 28 x 2 = 56.
Choose the correct answer based on the calculation: The diploid number for species C, which is an allopolyploid of species A and B, would be 56. Therefore, the correct answer is d. 56.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Diploid Chromosome Number

The diploid chromosome number refers to the total number of chromosomes in a cell, organized in pairs. In this context, plant species A has 12 chromosomes (6 pairs) and species B has 16 chromosomes (8 pairs). Understanding diploid numbers is crucial for determining the genetic makeup of offspring, especially in hybridization scenarios.
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Allopolyploidy

Allopolyploidy is a form of polyploidy that occurs when two different species hybridize and the resulting offspring have multiple sets of chromosomes from both parent species. In this case, species C arises from the hybridization of species A and B, leading to a new diploid number that is the sum of the diploid numbers of the parent species.
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Polyploidy

Polyploidy is the condition of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes. It is common in plants and can result from various processes, including allopolyploidy. In the scenario presented, the diploid number for species C can be calculated by adding the diploid numbers of species A and B, leading to a potential diploid number of 28 (12 + 16).
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