Sexual dimorphism at different life stages: early life sexual differences in root growth in Silene latifolia

Male and female dioecious plants often show sexual dimorphism, differing in morphological, physiological and life‐history traits. Most previous studies have focused on differences between males and females during or after reproduction, paying little attention to the pre‐reproductive stages of the individuals. Here we assessed the response of male and female individuals of the dioecious plant Silene latifolia to abiotic stress at different life stages, including pre‐reproductive (i.e. seedlings and young plants) and reproductive individuals. We measured growth, resource allocation and discrimination against 13C under nutrient deficiency, water stress, as well as their interaction. We observed sexual dimorphism in root growth, with female seedlings having longer main roots than male plants. Pre‐reproductive male and female plants also responded differently, in terms of root allocation, to nutrient and water availability. At reproduction, females grew more roots than males when water was not limiting. These differences could help explain the female‐skewed sex ratios found in natural populations of S. latifolia. We found no evidence of sexual dimorphism in aboveground dry mass, although females had longer leaves than males at the seedling stage. We conclude that sexual dimorphism in S. latifolia may occur not as a consequence of reproduction, but well before it. Sexual dimorphism in S. latifolia occurs before reproduction, particularly in root growth patterns, which may help explain the skewed sex ratios found in natural populations.