Capturing genetic variation in crop wild relatives: An evolutionary approach

Area of Science:

• Plant genetics
• Evolutionary biology
• Conservation biology

Background:

• Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are crucial genetic resources for improving cultivated crops.
• There is an urgent need to collect and conserve CWR germplasm to safeguard biodiversity and future crop breeding.
• Existing conservation strategies can be enhanced by predictive methods for locating genetic variation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate an "evolutionary" approach for CWR germplasm collection and conservation.
• To test the efficacy of spatial proxies of evolutionary processes in predicting genetic variation.
• To assess the role of mesoclimatic variation and landscape connectivity in structuring CWR genetic diversity.

Main Methods:

• Screening of wild-collected woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) genotypes in a common garden experiment.
• Utilizing a quantitative genetic approach to analyze spatial genetic variation.
• Employing mesoclimatic variation as a proxy for natural selection and landscape isolation/geographic distance as proxies for gene flow potential.

Main Results:

• Mesoclimatic conditions significantly influenced genetic variation in wild populations, though regional factors also played a role.
• Landscape isolation proved to be a more significant predictor of genetic patterns than geographic distance.
• The study demonstrated the predictive power of evolutionary proxies in understanding CWR genetic structure.

Conclusions:

• Harnessing proxies of adaptive and nonadaptive evolutionary processes is a robust method for identifying genetic variation in CWRs.
• The "evolutionary" approach offers a valuable strategy for expediting the capture and conservation of CWR genetic resources.
• Wider adoption and development of this approach are recommended for researchers, breeders, and practitioners.