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Abstract Detail



Crops and Wild Relatives

Mabry, Makenzie [1], Gallagher, Evan [2], Turner, Sarah [3], Pires, Joseph [4].

The domestication history of B. oleracea: wild relatives, geography of domestication, and multiple origins of kale.

Brassica oleracea is an important crop species that has intrigued researchers for centuries. When first introduced to the species, Darwin drew many parallels between his theory on natural selection and the domestication practices that led to the varied forms of this plant. Brassica oleracea is unique in that it has been domesticated into several different crop types, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and kohlrabi, as well as several lesser well-known types, such as walking stick kale and marrow cabbage. However, over a century and a half after Darwin, we still know very little about this crop species. Based on uncertainty of the wild relatives of this species, several conflicting hypotheses on the geographic origin have been proposed. Some evidence suggests a Sicilian origin, as there is a large diversity of wild relatives there, while others suggest England as the location of origin, however these are more likely feral populations of once domesticated cabbage. Using a diversity panel of 225 accessions from 19 different B. oleracea crop types and eight species of potential wild relatives, we integrate phylogenetic and populations genetic techniques to examine patterns of relationships among domesticated types and wild relatives. These analyses point to the closest living relatives of B. oleracea as B. incana and B. cretica, indicating support for origin of cultivation in the Mediterranean region, and recover evidence for multiple origins of kales. Together, these results put us one step closer to further understanding the evolutionary history of these fascinating and important crops.


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1 - University Of Missouri, Biological Sciences, 1201 Rollins St., Columbia, MO, 65201, United States
2 - University of Missouri-Columbia, Life Science Center 311, 1201 Rollins St, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
3 - University of California-Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, 262A Robbins Hall, CA, 95616, USA
4 - University Of Missouri, 371 Bond Life Sciences Center, 1201 Rollins Street, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States

Keywords:
Brassica oleracea
domestication 
Origin
crops and wild relatives
Phylogenetics
population genetics.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Crops and Wild Relatives Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PCW005
Abstract ID:285
Candidate for Awards:None


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