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The genetic diversity and evolution of field pea (Pisum) studied by high throughput retrotransposon based insertion
Runchun Jing1, Alexander Vershinin, Jacek Grzebyta
1Division of Plant Sciences, University of Dundee at SCRI, Invergowrie, DUNDEE 5DA, UK.
BMC Evolutionary Biology
|February 17, 2010
Summary
This study analyzed Pisum germplasm diversity using retrotransposon based insertion polymorphism (RBIP) markers. Findings reveal distinct gene pools and support independent domestication events for cultivated pea varieties.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Evolutionary Biology
- Agronomy
Background:
- Crop genetic diversity arises from natural selection and human intervention, offering insights into domestication and crop improvement.
- Wild relatives of crops are crucial reservoirs of valuable genetic resources for enhancing cultivated varieties.
- Understanding germplasm diversity is essential for effective crop breeding strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the diversity and evolution within the Pisum genus using a major germplasm collection.
- To establish a rational framework for designing germplasm core collections of Pisum.
- To investigate the genetic structure and relationships among wild and cultivated Pisum.
Main Methods:
- Genotyping of 3020 Pisum germplasm samples using 45 retrotransposon based insertion polymorphism (RBIP) markers.
- Utilized the Tagged Array Marker (TAM) method for genotyping.
- Data analysis involved principal coordinate analysis and nested Structure program analysis.
Main Results:
- Structure analysis identified three major groups (landrace, cultivar, wild Pisum) and 14 Sub-Groups, correlating with taxonomy, domestication traits, and geography.
- Principal coordinate analysis supported the genetic distances between Sub-Groups.
- A detailed model for Pisum domestication was inferred using genetic, trait, and geographical data.
Conclusions:
- The study clearly delineates major Pisum gene pools and their geographical distribution.
- Evidence strongly supports independent domestication events for P. sativum ssp abyssinicum and P. sativum.
- Identified ancestral wild gene pools for domesticated P. sativum and proposed a framework for global Pisum germplasm definition and core collection design.
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