The common strawberry has 56 chromosomes.
Understanding Strawberry Chromosomes
The cultivated strawberry, known scientifically as Fragaria × ananassa, is not your average plant when it comes to genetics. Instead of having the usual two sets of chromosomes (diploid), it possesses a whopping eight sets of chromosomes, making it octoploid. This means its cells contain a total of 56 chromosomes.
Details of Strawberry Chromosome Count:
- The strawberry of commerce is octoploid (2n = 8x = 56).
- This means they have 8 sets of chromosomes, each set containing 7 chromosomes
- This translates to 56 total chromosomes.
- This octoploid nature is a result of its complex evolutionary history.
- The strawberry's genetic makeup includes remnants from four separate diploid subgenomes.
Implications of Octoploidy
This unique octoploid condition means that the strawberry has a complex genetic makeup, which allows for variation but also complicates breeding. The multiple copies of genes contribute to the diverse traits we see in different strawberry varieties.
Summary Table of Strawberry Chromosomes
| Feature | Description | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Ploidy Level | Octoploid | 8x |
| Chromosome Sets | 8 | 8 |
| Chromosomes per Set | 7 | 7 |
| Total Chromosomes | Number of chromosomes in each cell | 56 |
