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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #382031
Research Project: Integration of Traditional Methods and Novel Molecular Strategies for Improving Disease Resistance and Input-use Efficiency in Peanut

Location: National Peanut Research Laboratory

Title: Genetic diversity of Huaya India (Melicoccus o1iviformis Kunth), a neglected Neotropical fruit crop

Author
item JIMENEZ-ROJAS, MONICA - National Technological Institute Of Mexico
item ANDUEZA NOH, RUBEN - National Technological Institute Of Mexico
item NOH-AKE, OBED - National Technological Institute Of Mexico
item POTTER, DANIEL - University Of California, Davis
item ORTIZ-GARCIA, MATILDE - Centro De Investigacion Cientifica Y De Educacion Superior De Ensenada
item Arias De Ares, Renee
item MARTINEZ-CASTILLO, JAIME - Centro De Investigacion Cientifica Y De Educacion Superior De Ensenada

Submitted to: Scientia Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/27/2021
Publication Date: 8/27/2021
Citation: Jimenez-Rojas, M., Andueza Noh, R.H., Noh-Ake, O.I., Potter, D., Ortiz-Garcia, M.M., Arias De Ares, R.S., Martinez-Castillo, J. 2021. Genetic diversity of Huaya India (Melicoccus o1iviformis Kunth), a neglected Neotropical fruit crop. Scientia Horticulturae. 290:110535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110535.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110535

Interpretive Summary: The Huaya India (Melicoccus oliviformis), is a fruit tree that exists both as wild and domesticated in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. A genetic analysis of the diversity of this species showed that there is more diversity among the wild than among the domesticated trees. This information can help in the gathering and conservation of it genetic diversity.

Technical Abstract: he Huaya India (Meliccocus oliviformis) is a tree species appreciated for its fruits in the 20 Mayan Lowlands of Mexico, where the species exhibits high morphological diversity and occurs as 21 wild and domesticated forms. Our objective was to contribute to the knowledge of the genetic di- 22 versity of the Huaya India in its possible area of domestication. For this, 450 individuals of Huaya 23 India collected from 15 natural vegetation sites and 15 Maya villages, were characterized using nine 24 microsatellite loci. Analysis of molecular data by STRUCTURE and Principal Coordinate Analysis 25 (PCoA) combined with fruit characteristics suggested the existence of three main groups: a) Wild, 26 composed by trees collected from areas of natural vegetation;b)Intermediate and c) Domesticated, 27 these last two groups integrated by trees collected from Maya villages. The three groups form an 28 apparent continuum from wild to domesticated trees. The Huaya India exhibited low levels of ge- 29 netic diversity, which were nonetheless significantly higher in the Wild (HO = 0.27, HE= 0.22) than in 30 the Domesticated (HO= 0.17, HE= 0.14), suggesting the existence of bottlenecks in the latter. This 31 study can serve as a basis for developing management and conservation strategies for Huaya India 32 in the Mayan Lowlands of Mexico