Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Malus Species
Summary
Malus species, encompassing both wild progenitors and cultivated apples, exhibit extensive genetic variation shaped by natural selection, human-mediated breeding and interspecific hybridisation. This variation underpins traits of agronomic importance, including pest resistance, abiotic stress tolerance and fruit quality. Analyses spanning Central Asia, Europe and other temperate regions have revealed a layered population structure, often reflecting geographic origin, domestication history and ongoing gene flow between wild and cultivated gene pools. Conservation of remnant wild stands and the strategic deployment of underutilised taxa are essential to preserve allelic richness and to support breeding for resilience under changing climates. Advances in high-throughput genotyping and integrative phenotyping are accelerating the incorporation of valuable wild alleles into improvement programmes, strengthening both productivity and genetic security of apple crops worldwide.
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Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Malus Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in genetic diversity and population structure in malus species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Genetic diversity: The range of genetic variation present within a species or population.
Population structure: The distribution of genetic variation among subpopulations.
Simple sequence repeats (SSR): Tandem repeats of short DNA motifs used as molecular markers.
Gene flow: Movement of genes between populations or species through mating or hybridisation.
Heterozygosity: The presence of different alleles at a locus in an individual or population.
Introgression: Permanent incorporation of genes from one species or population into another via hybrid back-crossing.
Germplasm: Genetic material, such as seeds or tissue, preserved for breeding and conservation.
References
- Malus sieversii: a historical, genetic, and conservational perspective of the primary progenitor species of domesticated apples. Horticulture Research (2024).
- Analysis of the genetic diversity and structure across a wide range of germplasm reveals prominent gene flow in apple at the European level. BMC Plant Biology (2016).
- New Insight into the History of Domesticated Apple: Secondary Contribution of the European Wild Apple to the Genome of Cultivated Varieties. PLOS Genetics (2012).
- Crop‐to‐wild gene flow and its fitness consequences for a wild fruit tree: Towards a comprehensive conservation strategy of the wild apple in Europe. Evolutionary Applications (2016).
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