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Genetic diversity of traditional South American Landraces of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz): an analysis using microsatellites

Diversidade Genética de Variedades Tradicionais Sulamericanas de Mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz: Uma Análise com Marcadores Microssatélites

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Abstract

The extent and structure of the genetic variability of traditional varieties of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) have been little documented, despite considerable evidence for this cropś great varietal diversity in traditional agroecosystems. We used microsatellite markers to assess the genetic structure of traditional landraces of sweet and bitter cassava collected from five South American sites. As reference, we used a sample of 38 accessions from a world collection of cultivated cassava. For a total of 10 loci examined, we found 15 alleles that were not represented in this sample. Ten of these had been previously detected in wild Manihot species. The geographical structure of genetic variability was weak, but the genetic differentiation between bitter and sweet landraces was significant, suggesting that each form had evolved separately after domestication. Our results showed that traditional landraces form an important source of genetic diversity and merit more attention from managers of crop genetic resources.

Résumé

A extensão e a estruturação da variabilidade genética de variedades tradicionais de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) têm sido pouco documentadas, apesar de existirem evidências sugerindo uma grande diversidade varietal desta cultura em agroecosistemas tradicionais. No presente trabalho, foram usados marcadores de DNA, do tipo microssatélite, para avaliar a estrutura genética de variedades tradicionais de mandioca brava e mandioca de mesa coletadas em cinco localidades da América do Sul. Como referência, usou-se um conjunto de 38 acessos de uma coleção mundial de germoplasma de mandioca. Entre as variedades tradicionais, foram encontrados 15 alelos que não estavam presentes nesta amostragem da coleção mundial. Dez destes alelos já haviam sido detectados em espécies silvestres de Manihot. Apenas uma leve estruturação geográfica da variabilidade foi observada. No entanto, foi evidenciada uma diferenciação genética entre variedades bravas e de mesa, sugerindo que cada forma tenha evoluído separadamente após a domesticaç~ao. Nossos resultados mostram que variedades tradicionais constituem uma importante fonte de diversidade genética e deveriam receber maior atenção no manejo de recursos genéticos de plantas cultivadas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive [CEFE] of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique [CNRS], 1919 route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier cedex 5, France

    Marianne Elias & Doyle McKey

  2. Instituto Agronômico de Campinas [IAC], Seção de Raízes e Tubérculos, av. Barão de Itapura1481, 13001–970, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Gilda Santos Mühlen

  3. Previously at CIAT, currently at CAMBIA, GPO Box 3200, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Ana Carolina Roa

  4. Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical [CIAT], A.A. 6713, 650-8336625, Cali, Colombia

    Joe Tohme

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  1. Marianne Elias
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  2. Gilda Santos Mühlen
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Elias, M., Mühlen, G.S., McKey, D. et al. Genetic diversity of traditional South American Landraces of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz): an analysis using microsatellites. Econ Bot 58, 242–256 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2004)058[0242:GDOTSA]2.0.CO;2

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