Phylogenetics of Eurasian plums, Prunus L. section Prunus (Rosaceae), according to coding and non-coding chloroplast DNA sequences

Abstract

The genus Prunus contains the subgenus Prunus incorporating the European plums (section Prunus), the North American plums (section Prunocerasus) and the apricots (section Armeniaca). In section Prunus, there are approximately 20 species, which occur in three levels of ploidy, diploid 2nDespite a clear distinction between section Prunus and the other sections, phylogenetic relationships between species within the section are unclear. We performed a phylogenetic analysis on members of the section Prunus and three outgroup species using sequence data from four single-copy phylogenetically informative chloroplast DNA regions (atpB-rbcL, matK, rpl16, and trnL-trnF). After alignment, the analysed regions totalled 4,696 bp of sequence, containing 68 parsimonyinformative sites and 14 parsimony-informative indels. Data were analysed using both maximum parsimony and Bayesian likelihood and phylogenetic trees were reconstructed. The analyses recovered trees with congruent topologies and similar levels of statistical support for relationships between taxa. They confirmed that species belonging to section Prunus form a monophyletic clade within Prunus. The section is resolved into four wellsupported clades, which correspond to the geographical distribution of the species. The hexaploid species could not be resolved into distinct species clades but formed a wellsupported group separate from the tetraploid species, highlighting the distinct evolutionary origins of the different polyploid groups. The close relationship between the hexaploids and Prunus divaricata, Prunus cerasifera and Prunus ursina indicates the former may have derived from an ancestor of P. cerasifera and its allies.

Genetic Relatedness among Cultivars of the Greek Plum Germplasm

“…Zohary (1992) also states that P. domestica plums, and predominantly P. insititia, are morphologically comparable to P. cerasifera; this is in accordance with the possibility of a polyploid P. cerasifera origin for P. domestica (Depypere et al, 2009). In a recent study based on cpDNA sequences, Reales et al (2010) showed that hexaploid plums "group together with 100% posterior probability and 87% bootstrap support in a clade containing P. cerasifera, P. divaricata and P. ursina". Also, Horvath et al (2011) confirmed this result since most P. domestica cpDNA haplotypes grouped together with P. cerasifera haplotypes.…”

“…Also, Horvath et al (2011) confirmed this result since most P. domestica cpDNA haplotypes grouped together with P. cerasifera haplotypes. Therefore Reales et al (2010) and Horvath et al (2011) argued that P. domestica originated from P. cerasifera, at least in its maternal lineage.…”

Phylogeny and Classification of Prunus sensu lato (Rosaceae)

“…(1) Eurasian and American plums ( Prunus s.s . and Prunocerasus ) are separate and monophyletic groups (Shaw and Small ; Reales et al ). (2) Dwarf cherries are reproductively more compatible and genetically closer to plums and peaches than to true cherries (Kataoka et al ; Shimada et al ).…”

Genetic variability in wild populations of Prunus divaricata Ledeb. in northern Iran evaluated by EST-SSR and genomic SSR marker analysis

“…Cherry plum, Prunus divaricata Ledeb., is a wild growing, diploid, self-incompatible fruit tree that belongs to section Prunus, subgenus Prunus, within the family of Rosaceae (Faust and Surányi 1999;Scholz and Scholz 1995;Reales et al 2010). Pollination is entomophilous, and seeds are dispersed by frugivorous animals.…”