Wan Tian, Zhou Jing, Yin Xin, An Feng, Qiao Bai-Xue, Yan Zhuo-Yang, Li Bao-Yan, Zhou Tian-Hua, Cai Yu-Liang
School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, Shaanxi, 723001, China.
College of Horticulture, Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
BMC Plant Biol. 2025 Mar 11;25(1):309. doi: 10.1186/s12870-025-06324-0.
Prunus tomentosa Thunb, a fruit tree native to China, is an important and excellent plant material. It exhibits high adaptability to almost all soil types and climatic conditions. The germplasm resources are found in the six geographical regions of China, covering a vast expanse, and comprise a variety of ecological types. However, little is known about genetic diversity and population structure, with its abundant genetic information. Nuclear simple sequence repeat markers, with biparentally inherited characteristics, is powerful for evaluating the genetic diversity of population. Therefore, this research assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of P. tomentosa by collecting extensive samples. The finding will contribute to not only proposing scientific conservation strategies of P. tomentosa but also developing the germplasm to breed novel cherry cultivar.
A total of 822 germplasms from 40 populations were used for assessing. The indicators of genetic diversity showed high values, including observable heterozygosity (0.546), expected heterozygosity (0.819), Shannon's information index (I = 1.951), polymorphism information content (0.799). The populations displaying the greatest diversity-Gan-XlM, Shaan-HM, and Gan-ZhC. In addition, extensive genetic differentiation was detected. The genetic differentiation coefficient (F) values calculated from heterozygosity and analysis of molecular variance were greater than 0.15. Gene flow was relatively stable (number of migrants [Nm] = 1.065). Mantel test analysis showed that there was a significant correlation (R = 0.065, P < 0.05) between the genetic distance and the geographical distance of the populations. Integrated cluster, structure, and principal component analysis indicated that the 40 populations were clustered into a Northwest Group and a Northeast Group. However, the Chuan-Aba, Xin-TKS, and Xin-ALR populations were clearly differentiated.
The P. tomentosa populations showed high or moderate polymorphism. The genetic differentiation within each population was higher than that between populations. There was a significant correlation between the genetic distance and the geographical distance. Based on genetic diversity and population differentiation levers, the most diverse populations-Gan-XlM, Shaan-HS, and Gan-PL from Gansu and Shaanxi provinces, should first be protected and applied to the innovation of cherry germplasm, followed by significantly differentiated populations, including Chuan-Aba, Ning-HlM, and Gan-PL.
毛樱桃是原产于中国的一种果树，是重要且优良的植物材料。它对几乎所有土壤类型和气候条件都具有高度适应性。其种质资源分布于中国的六个地理区域，范围广阔，包含多种生态类型。然而，尽管其拥有丰富的遗传信息，但关于其遗传多样性和群体结构却知之甚少。具有双亲遗传特性的核简单序列重复标记对于评估群体的遗传多样性很有效。因此，本研究通过收集大量样本评估了毛樱桃的遗传多样性和群体结构。这一发现不仅有助于提出毛樱桃的科学保护策略，还能用于种质创新以培育新型樱桃品种。
共使用了来自40个群体的822份种质进行评估。遗传多样性指标显示出较高的值，包括观察杂合度（0.546）、期望杂合度（0.819）、香农信息指数（I = 1.951）、多态性信息含量（0.799）。多样性最高的群体是甘肃的甘 - 西姆、陕西的陕 - 华民和甘肃的甘 - 张川。此外，检测到广泛的遗传分化。根据杂合度和分子方差分析计算出的遗传分化系数（F）值大于0.15。基因流相对稳定（迁移个体数[Nm] = 1.065）。Mantel检验分析表明，群体的遗传距离与地理距离之间存在显著相关性（R = 0.065，P < 0.05）。综合聚类、结构和主成分分析表明，40个群体被聚类为西北组和东北组。然而，四川阿坝、新疆托克逊和新疆阿勒泰群体明显分化。
毛樱桃群体表现出高或中等多态性。每个群体内部的遗传分化高于群体间的遗传分化。遗传距离与地理距离之间存在显著相关性。基于遗传多样性和群体分化水平，应首先保护并用于樱桃种质创新的最多样化群体是来自甘肃和陕西的甘 - 西姆、陕 - 华实和甘 - 平梁，其次是明显分化的群体，包括四川阿坝、宁夏惠农和甘 - 平梁。
