Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 Sequences

<i>Camellia reticulata</i> is a well-known ornamental species with a type specimen that is an allohexaploid, possibly descended from diploid ancestors like <i>C. saluenensis</i>, <i>C. pitardii</i>, and diploid <i>C. reticulata</i>. With over 1500 year...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhifeng Fan, Wei Zheng, Chengmin Yan, Xiaodan Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Horticulturae
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/1/85
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832588361087320064
author Zhifeng Fan
Wei Zheng
Chengmin Yan
Xiaodan Xu
author_facet Zhifeng Fan
Wei Zheng
Chengmin Yan
Xiaodan Xu
author_sort Zhifeng Fan
collection DOAJ
description <i>Camellia reticulata</i> is a well-known ornamental species with a type specimen that is an allohexaploid, possibly descended from diploid ancestors like <i>C. saluenensis</i>, <i>C. pitardii</i>, and diploid <i>C. reticulata</i>. With over 1500 years of cultivation, heritage <i>C. reticulata</i> cultivars show varied ploidy levels, including hexaploid, octoploid, and decaploid forms, though their diploid ancestors are still unidentified. This study aims to trace these diploid ancestors by cloning and sequencing ITS from 25 taxa and <i>RPB</i>2 from 21 taxa across various ploidy levels of <i>C. reticulata</i> and its traditional cultivars and related species, combined with their fruit morphology data. Analyses of the ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 sequences suggest that the diploid ancestors of <i>C. reticulata</i> and its traditional cultivars may include <i>C. saluenensis</i>, <i>C. pitardii</i>, and diploid <i>C. reticulata</i>, while excluding <i>C. mairei</i> and <i>C. polyodonta</i>. Morphological analysis showed that diploid <i>C. reticulata</i> has significantly larger fruit weight, diameter, and pericarp thickness compared to <i>C. pitardii</i>, <i>C. saluenensis</i>, and both tetraploid and hexaploid <i>C. reticulata</i>. Since diploid ancestors of allopolyploids are often classified as distinct taxa, we suggest that diploid <i>C. reticulata</i> be recognized as a new variety of <i>C. pitardii</i>, as its ITS sequences are closely aligned with <i>C. pitardii</i>. This study offers key insights into the origin, evolution, and breeding of <i>C. reticulata</i>.
format Article
id doaj-art-9ea5ed8d0bb046beaa72b3cb46a92b98
institution Kabale University
issn 2311-7524
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Horticulturae
spelling doaj-art-9ea5ed8d0bb046beaa72b3cb46a92b982025-01-24T13:34:43ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242025-01-011118510.3390/horticulturae11010085Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 SequencesZhifeng Fan0Wei Zheng1Chengmin Yan2Xiaodan Xu3Department of Architecture, City College, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaLaboratory of Landscape Plants, Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and City Planning, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaLaboratory of Landscape Plants, Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and City Planning, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, ChinaLaboratory of Landscape Plants, Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and City Planning, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China<i>Camellia reticulata</i> is a well-known ornamental species with a type specimen that is an allohexaploid, possibly descended from diploid ancestors like <i>C. saluenensis</i>, <i>C. pitardii</i>, and diploid <i>C. reticulata</i>. With over 1500 years of cultivation, heritage <i>C. reticulata</i> cultivars show varied ploidy levels, including hexaploid, octoploid, and decaploid forms, though their diploid ancestors are still unidentified. This study aims to trace these diploid ancestors by cloning and sequencing ITS from 25 taxa and <i>RPB</i>2 from 21 taxa across various ploidy levels of <i>C. reticulata</i> and its traditional cultivars and related species, combined with their fruit morphology data. Analyses of the ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 sequences suggest that the diploid ancestors of <i>C. reticulata</i> and its traditional cultivars may include <i>C. saluenensis</i>, <i>C. pitardii</i>, and diploid <i>C. reticulata</i>, while excluding <i>C. mairei</i> and <i>C. polyodonta</i>. Morphological analysis showed that diploid <i>C. reticulata</i> has significantly larger fruit weight, diameter, and pericarp thickness compared to <i>C. pitardii</i>, <i>C. saluenensis</i>, and both tetraploid and hexaploid <i>C. reticulata</i>. Since diploid ancestors of allopolyploids are often classified as distinct taxa, we suggest that diploid <i>C. reticulata</i> be recognized as a new variety of <i>C. pitardii</i>, as its ITS sequences are closely aligned with <i>C. pitardii</i>. This study offers key insights into the origin, evolution, and breeding of <i>C. reticulata</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/1/85<i>Camellia reticulata</i>allohexaploidphylogenycultivar originfruit morphology
spellingShingle Zhifeng Fan
Wei Zheng
Chengmin Yan
Xiaodan Xu
Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 Sequences
Horticulturae
<i>Camellia reticulata</i>
allohexaploid
phylogeny
cultivar origin
fruit morphology
title Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 Sequences
title_full Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 Sequences
title_fullStr Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 Sequences
title_full_unstemmed Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 Sequences
title_short Diploid Ancestor Tracing of Allopolyploid Cultivars in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> Based on ITS and <i>RPB</i>2 Sequences
title_sort diploid ancestor tracing of allopolyploid cultivars in i camellia reticulata i based on its and i rpb i 2 sequences
topic <i>Camellia reticulata</i>
allohexaploid
phylogeny
cultivar origin
fruit morphology
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/1/85
work_keys_str_mv AT zhifengfan diploidancestortracingofallopolyploidcultivarsinicamelliareticulataibasedonitsandirpbi2sequences
AT weizheng diploidancestortracingofallopolyploidcultivarsinicamelliareticulataibasedonitsandirpbi2sequences
AT chengminyan diploidancestortracingofallopolyploidcultivarsinicamelliareticulataibasedonitsandirpbi2sequences
AT xiaodanxu diploidancestortracingofallopolyploidcultivarsinicamelliareticulataibasedonitsandirpbi2sequences