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Title: Genetic relationship in Cicer Sp. expose evidence for geneflow between the cultigen and its wild progenitor

Author
item VAN OSS, RUTH - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem
item ABBO, SHAHAL - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem
item ESHED, RAVIT - Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center
item SHERMAN, AMIR - Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center
item Coyne, Clarice - Clare
item Vandemark, George
item ZHANG, HONGBIN - Texas A&M University
item PELEG, ZVI - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/24/2015
Publication Date: 10/8/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61586
Citation: Van Oss, R., Abbo, S., Eshed, R., Sherman, A., Coyne, C.J., Vandemark, G.J., Zhang, H., Peleg, Z. 2015. Genetic relationship in Cicer Sp. expose evidence for geneflow between the cultigen and its wild progenitor. PLoS One. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139789.

Interpretive Summary: It is known that crop domestication of chickpea took place in Neolithic time (11,000 BP). What is not know is whether the domestication arose from single or multiple ancestors. Using the most recent gene-based markers for chickpea, i.e. single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we report evidence of a single (mono-phyletic) origin of domesticated chickpea. Also evidence for the flow of genes from domesticated chickpea into wild chickpea was presented.

Technical Abstract: There is a debate concerning mono- or poly-phyletic origins of the Near Eastern crops. In parallel, some authors claim that domestication was not possible within the natural range of the wild progenitors due to wild alleles flow into the nascent crops. Here we address both issues in order to understand the relationship between domesticated chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and its wild progenitor (C. reticulatum Ladizinsky) with special emphasis on its domestication centre in southeastern Turkey. A set of 103 chickpea cultivars and landraces from the major growing regions alongside wild accessions (C. reticulatum, C. echinospermum, C. bijugum) sampled across the natural distribution range in eastern Turkey were genotyped with 194 SNPs markers. The genetic affinities between and within the studied taxa were assessed using various genetic structure analyses. The phylogeny analysis suggests a mono-phyletic origin of the cultigen, although no wild accession seems as a likely member of the wild stock of the cultigen. Clear separation between the wild and domesticated germplasm was apparent, with negligible level of admixture. A single C. reticulatum accession shows morphological and allelic signatures of admixture, a likely result of introgression. No evidence of geneflow from the wild into domesticated germplasm was found. Our results grant support to the notion of domestication within the natural distribution range of the wild progenitor, suggesting that the Neolithic domesticators were fully capable of selecting the desired phenotypes even when facing rare wild-domesticated introgression events.