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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165497
Title: MOLECULAR DIVERSITY OF CARICA PAPAYA AND RELATED SPECIES

Author
item MING, R - HAWAII AG RES CNT
item VAN DROOGENBROECK, B - GHENT UNIVERSITY BELGIUM
item Moore, Paul
item Zee, Francis
item KYNDT, T - GHENT UNIVERSITY BELGIUM
item SCHELDEMAN, X - IPGRI, CALI,COLUMBIA
item SEKIOKA, T - UH MANOA HONOLULU HI
item GHEYSEN, G - GHENT UNIVERSITY BELGIUM

Submitted to: Plant Genome: Biodiversity and Evolution
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/2004
Publication Date: 3/20/2005
Citation: Ming, R., Van Droogenbroeck, B., Moore, P.H., Zee, F.T., Kyndt, T., Scheldeman, X., Sekioka, T., Gheysen, G. 2005. Molecular diversity of Carica papaya and related species. Plant Genome: Biodiversity and Evolution. A.K Sharma, A. Sharma (eds.). Science Publishers, Enfield, New Hampshire, USA. V. IB: Phanerograms;P. 229-254.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only.

Technical Abstract: Molecular diversity of Caricaceae species has been a frequent subject of research over the past decade. Genetic relationships among Caricaceae species were established using DNA markers derived from nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondria genomes. The accumulated molecular data contributed to reinstating Vasconcellea as a genus independent of the genus Carica in the family Caricaceae. These data provided evidence for the interspecific origin of some species, and support for a reticulate evolution for this genus. Within the cultivated species Carica papaya, limited genetic variations were detected among commercial cultivars, improved but not released breeding lines, and unimproved germplasm, reflecting the consequence of inbreeding from a limited gene pool. Genetic diversity among dioecious cultivars was similar to that of the hermaphrodite cultivars, possibly due to the narrow genetic base from which both dioecious and hermaphrodite cultivars were derived. The recent identification of a primitive Y chromosome in papaya offered a new and unique aspect to study the divergence and evolution among the 35 species of Caricaceae and promises new knowledge in the origin of dioecy in this family. Future large scale sequencing of papaya genomic DNA will revolutionize methods for assessing genetic variation within the species Carica papaya.