Five species, many genotypes, broad phenotypic diversity: When agronomy meets functional ecology

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Ecological theory offers insights into plant domestication causes and effects.
• The impact of domestication on intraspecific genetic variability (ITV) remains largely unexplored.
• Understanding genetic changes is crucial for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how selection during plant domestication affects functional trait coordination and genetic differentiation.
• To quantify the extent of genetic diversity within functional traits in wild ecotypes and domesticated cultivars.
• To compare the intraspecific genetic variability (ITV) between natural ecotypes and selected cultivars.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 50 ecotypes and 35 cultivars from five grassland species.
• Quantified genetic diversity across various functional traits.
• Assessed genetic variability within populations of both natural ecotypes and selected cultivars.

Main Results:

• Cultivars generally exhibited larger size (height, growth rate) and increased specific leaf area (SLA).
• Substantial genetic variability was observed, averaging 63% and varying by trait (14% for leaf nitrogen content to 95.8% for growth rate).
• Intraspecific genetic variability (ITV) was greater for whole-plant traits than organ-level traits, consistent across ecotypes and cultivars, with ecotypes showing higher overall ITV.

Conclusions:

• Domesticated species possess significant genetic diversity, with varied heritability across functional traits.
• Selection for high yield has resulted in indirect selection of associated leaf traits.
• Findings aid in identifying target traits for selection programs, particularly for community-level selection strategies.