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Title: Phylogeny of Solanum Series Piurana and Putatively Related Species in Solanum Section Petota Based on Five Conserved Ortholog Sequences

Author
item AMES, MERCEDES - University Of Wisconsin
item Spooner, David

Submitted to: Taxon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/2010
Publication Date: 8/10/2010
Citation: Ames, M., Spooner, D.M. 2010. Phylogeny of Solanum Series Piurana and Putatively Related Species in Solanum Section Petota Based on Five Conserved Ortholog Sequences. Taxon. 59(4):1091-1101.

Interpretive Summary: There are about 190 wild potato species (Solanum L. section Petota Dumort.) and their morphological similarity has led to widely conflicting taxonomic treatments. Solanum series Piurana Hawkes is one of 21 series recognized in section Petota in the latest comprehensive taxonomic treatment by Hawkes in 1990. They are distributed from southern Colombia, south through Ecuador to central Peru. The limits of the series and validity of its constituent species were unresolved. This study is a compliment to a recently published morphological study of the same accessions but using molecular data from five nuclear orthologous (single copy) genic regions. The results supported a three natural branches on a tree of relationships, that include all members of series Piurana and similar species in other series. Using a combination of the morphological and the present molecular results, we reduced these species from 37 to 29. These results will be useful for biogeographers, floristicians, and potato breeders, allowing them to better quantify diversity, understand local species variation, and choosing diverse germplasm in breeding programs.

Technical Abstract: There are about 190 wild potato species (Solanum L. section Petota Dumort.) and their morphological similarity has led to widely conflicting taxonomic treatments. Solanum series Piurana Hawkes is one of 21 series recognized in section Petota in the latest comprehensive taxonomic treatment by Hawkes in 1990. They are distributed from southern Colombia, south through Ecuador to central Peru. The limits of the series and validity of its constituent species were unresolved. In the present study, a set of five COS markers were used to infer the phylogeny of putative members of Solanum series Piurana and outgroups. The results supported a three clades structure within section Petota and the monophyly of series Piurana was confirmed, although as an enlarged group regarding previous classifications of this series. This expanded series Piurana includes species previously considered as members of the series but also species considered in other seven series (Coniciabaccata, Cuneoalata, Ingaefolia, Olmosiana, Simplicissima, Tuberosa and Yungasensa). These results suggested that most of the series defined by several potato taxonomists are not supported as natural groups. The species status for several taxa grouping within the Piurana clade was reconsidered based on a combination of a history-based (phylogenetic) species concept or a morphological species concept, and reduced these species from 37 to 29. It was also demonstrated that the relationship among members of the Piurana clade is mostly supported by the presence of moniliform tubers and coriaceous leaves.