Phylogeographic analysis of Siraitia grosvenorii in subtropical China provides insight into the origin of cultivated monk fruit and conservation of genetic resources

Abstract

Siraitia grosvenorii, an economically important plant species with high medicinal value, is endemic to subtropical China. To determine the population structure and origin of cultivated S. grosvenorii, we examined the variation in three chloroplast DNA regions (trnR-atpA, trnH-psbA, trnL-trnF) and two nuclear gene orthologs (CHS and EDL2) of S. grosvenorii in 130 individuals, selected from 13 wild populations across its natural distribution range, and 21 cultivated accessions using a phylogeographic approach. The results showed non-overlapping distribution of chlorotypes, three distinct chloroplast genetic groups restricted to different mountain ranges, and comparable nuclear diversity among the distinct geographical groups, suggesting the existence of at least three separate refugia. The current phylogeographic patterns of S. grosvenorii probably resulted from long-term survival in multiple refugia and limited expansion. Our results also demonstrated that wild populations in northeastern Guangxi share the same gene pool as cultivated S. grosvenorii accessions, suggesting that the current cultivars originated from wild populations distributed in northeastern Guangxi. The results of this study provide insight into improving the efficiency of S. grosvenorii breeding using a genetic approach, and outline measures for the conservation of its genetic resources.

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“…Through the study of Siraitia grosvenorii plant cultivation using plant bioreactor, proliferation rate, shoot length, fresh and dry weight Indications of proliferation rate, shoot length, fresh weight, and dry weight showed that the total biomass of roselle cultivated in plant bioreactor was significantly higher than in solid and liquid cultivation (Shivani et al, 2021). The reactor promoted the growth and quality of S. grosvenorii seedlings, and the natural‐like plant S. grosvenorii obtained may have a positive effect on isolated rooting and transplanting in large‐scale commercial production (Xie et al, 2023). Some researchers evaluated Vanilla planifolia in solid culture, partial submergence and plant bioreactor for shoot proliferation efficiency and found that compared to solid culture, the proliferation rate in the reactor increased by a factor of three (Yeh et al, 2021).…”

Phylogeographic analysis of Siraitia grosvenorii in subtropical China provides insights into the origin of cultivated monk fruit and conservation of genetic resources

“…The strict molecular clock model was used as the basic model for branch rates implemented in BEAST (Zuckerkandl & Pauling, 1965), which can be calibrated by setting a substitution rate or dates of specific nodes or node sets (Drummond & Rambaut, 2007). In this study, we used the strict molecular clock model and the GTR + G + I model with four Gamma categories.…”