Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Chinese Corylus heterophylla and Corylus kweichowensis Using Simple Sequence Repeat Markers

Wang³

et al. 2023

Horticulture Research

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Hazelnut (Corylus spp.) is known as one of the four famous tree nuts in the world due to its pleasant taste and nutritional benefits. However, hazelnut promotion worldwide is increasingly challenged by global climate change, limiting its production to a few regions. Focusing on the eurytopic Section Phyllochlamys, we conducted whole-genome resequencing of 125 diverse accessions from five geo-ecological zones in Eurasia to elucidate the genomic basis of adaptation and improvement. Population structure inference outlined five distinct genetic lineages corresponding to climate conditions and breeding background, and highlighted the differentiation between European and Asian lineages. Demographic dynamics and ecological niche modeling revealed that Pleistocene climatic oscillations dominantly shaped the extant genetic patterns, and multiple environmental factors has contributed to the lineage divergence. Whole-genome scans identified 279, 111, and 164 selective sweeps that underlie local adaptation in C. heterophylla, C. kweichowensis, and C. yunnanensis, respectively. Relevant positively selected genes were mainly involved in regulating signaling pathways, growth and development, and stress resistance. The improvement signatures of hybrid hazelnut were concentrated in 312 and 316 selected genes, when compared to C. heterophylla and C. avellana, respectively, including those that regulate protein polymerization, photosynthesis, and response to water deprivation. Among these loci, 22 candidate genes were highly associated with the regulation of biological quality. Our study provides insights into evolutionary processes and molecular basis of how sibling species adapt to contrasting environments, and offers valuable resources for future climate-resilient breeding.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population genomics reveals demographic history and selection signatures of hazelnut (Corylus)

Wang³

et al. 2023

Horticulture Research

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“…Previous studies have indicated that SSR loci developed from European hazelnuts were highly conserved and universal in other Corylus species, e.g., C. heterophylla and C. kweichowensis [15], C. colurna [44], and C. mandshurica [14]. However, a very limited number of SSRs have been tested in Ping'ou hybrid hazelnut so far.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SSR markers have the distinguishing features of multi-allelic, co-dominant inheritance patterns, reproducibility, high polymorphism, locus specificity, and transferability to related species and genera [5]. At present, more than 700 SSR loci have been developed in Corylus [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], and have been widely used in population structure assessment [14][15][16], germplasm identification and genetic diversity analysis [17][18][19][20], linkage map construction [21][22][23][24], and molecular marker-assisted selection [25,26]. In our previous study, we identified some cultivars of Ping'ou hybrid hazelnut by using the EST-SSR markers we developed in a pistil transcriptome [27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Analysis of the Cultivars of Ping’ou Hybrid Hazelnut (C. heterophylla Fisch. × C. avellana L.) in China Based on SSR Markers

Zhao

Liang

et al. 2023

Forests

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Ping’ou hybrid hazelnut is one of the most profitable tree nuts in China, but economically important cultivars must first be genetically validated to meet industrial demand. Traditional approaches used for cultivar identification are mainly trait-based and unreliable. Previous approaches at the DNA level, focusing on the identification of species or/and varieties that originated in China, were not used widely in hybrid hazelnut because there was no proper standard sample. In this research, a multiplexed fingerprinting test was conducted to allow for hazelnut cultivar identification using SSR markers derived from European hazelnut. Twenty-seven SSR markers were used to fingerprint 57 genetically unique Ping’ou hybrid hazelnut and related wild species. All markers showed a high level of polymorphism, as indicated by mean values for observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.84), expected heterozygosity (He = 0.80), and polymorphism information content (PIC = 0.78). A total of 301 alleles were detected, and the number of effective alleles varied from 6 for KG817 and GB818 to 18 for B654, with an average of 11.2 alleles per locus. Moreover, the Shannon’s information index (I) ranged from 1.293 for BR215 to 2.385 for B654, with an average of 1.908. The neighbor-joining tree, principal coordinate analysis, and Bayesian analysis revealed clear separation between hybrid cultivars and wild forms (Cluster/group I), as well as the differentiation within hybrid genotypes (Clusters/groups II and III). Additionally, the NJ dendrogram demonstrated a further split within Clusters/group III (III a and III b). Altogether, with the comparable SSR information of the European hazelnut cultivar ‘Barcelona’, the newly developed marker sets can assist in the germplasm identification of hazelnut cultivars and reproductive materials. Importantly, these combined SSR loci can be applied to characterize the genetic relationships and population structures among wild genotypes and hybrid cultivars, which will then provide information to guide hazelnut breeding based on their genetic background.

“…Hazelnut, produced by a shrub or small tree of Corylus Linn. in the family Betulaceae, is one of the four major dried fruits in the world and was reported to have originated in southwest China in the middle Eocene (~43.6 million years ago) [1,2]. Among Chinese hazel plants, Corylus heterophylla, mainly distributed in northern China, has been developed and utilized, while Corylus kweichowensis, predominantly distributed in southern China, has important potential utilization value [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Changes in Soil Microbial Community and Co-Occurrence Network of Species of the Genus Corylus

Liang

et al. 2021

Microorganisms

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Hazelnut is one of the four major nuts in the world and has high nutritional and economic value. This study employed Illumina sequencing of ITS rDNA and 16S rRNA genes to identify the seasonal changes in soil microbial community, the predominant environmental factors driving microbial community composition, and the differences in soil microbial composition among different species of the genus Corylus. We found that the soil microbial community composition of species of Corylus changed significantly with the change in seasons. Corylus heterophylla and Corylus kweichowensis had more ectomycorrhiza in their soil compared to Corylus avellane. The main factor influencing fungal community composition in soil was the available potassium, while that of bacteria was the total phosphorus content. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the ratio of positive interaction to negative interaction in soil of C. heterophylla and Ping’ou (C. heterophylla × C. avellane) was higher, while the negative interaction of soil community structure in C. avellane was greater. The bacterial community was more stable than the fungal community according to microbial diversity and co-occurrence network analyses. The findings of this research may facilitate improvements to the production and soil system management in hazel planting processes.