What is the result of total non-disjunction in plants?

Total non-disjunction occurs when both homologous chromosomes fail to separate during meiosis, resulting in gametes that have an abnormal number of chromosomes. In plants, this phenomenon can lead to polyploidy, where cells have more than two complete sets of chromosomes.

The potential formation of a new species is a significant consequence of total non-disjunction because polyploid individuals often have reproductive barriers with their diploid relatives. This reproductive isolation can lead to speciation, as the polyploid plants may differ enough genetically and phenotypically from their parent species that they no longer interbreed effectively, allowing a new species to arise.

In contrast, while reduced genetic diversity may occur in some cases due to inbreeding or other factors, it is not a direct result of non-disjunction. Similarly, the formation of haploid offspring is not a consequence of total non-disjunction; instead, it would be associated with normal meiosis leading to gametes with half the chromosome number. Lastly, while an increase in somatic mutations can happen in any organism, this is not specifically tied to the event of total non-disjunction, which is focused on chromosomal anomalies rather than mutations. Thus, the most fitting result of total non-disjunction in plants