Crop Evolution of Foxtail Millet

Abstract

Studies on the domestication, genetic differentiation, and crop evolution of foxtail millet are reviewed in this paper. Several genetic studies were carried out to elucidate the genetic relationships among foxtail millet accessions originating mainly from Eurasia based on intraspecific hybrid pollen semi-sterility, isozymes, DNA markers, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Most studies suggest that China is the center of diversity of foxtail millet, and landraces were categorized into geographical groups. These results indicate that this millet was domesticated in China and spread over Eurasia, but independent origin in other regions cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, the evolution of genes was reviewed (i.e., the Waxy gene conferring amylose content in the endosperm, the Si7PPO gene controlling polyphenol oxidase, the HD1 and SiPRR37 genes controlling heading time, the Sh1 and SvLes1 genes involved in grain shattering, and the C gene controlling leaf sheath pigmentation), and the variation and distribution of these genes suggested complex patterns of evolution under human and/or natural selection.

Latitudinal adaptation and dispersal pathway of foxtail millet suggested by geographical distribution of transposable elements inserted in the <i>SiPRR37</i> gene

“…The foxtail millet genome was sequenced by Bennetzen et al (2012) and Zhang et al (2012). As this millet shows high variability in several agronomic traits, it could also be a good material for studying domestication and crop evolution (Fukunaga and Kawase 2024).…”

“…But the geographical distribution of the TE2-insertion type will be useful for tracing the dispersal of foxtail millet as a genetic marker. As several researchers insist that foxtail millet was domesticated in China (Fukunaga and Kawase 2024), this implies the relationships of foxtail millet landraces among East Asia, Napal and western parts of Asia (Iran and Turkey) (Fig. 2, Supplementary Table 1).…”