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Genetic diversity and population structure of an Italian landrace of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.): inferences for its safeguard and on-farm conservation

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Abstract

The landraces are considered important sources of valuable germplasm for breeding activities to face climatic changes as well as to satisfy the requirement of new varieties for marginal areas. Runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) is one of the most cultivated Phaseolus species worldwide, but few studies have been addressed to assess the genetic diversity and structure within and among landrace populations. In the present study, 20 different populations of a runner bean landrace from Central Italy named “Fagiolone,” together with 41 accessions from Italy and Mesoamerica, were evaluated by using 14 nuclear SSRs to establish its genetic structure and distinctiveness. Results indicated that “Fagiolone” landrace can be considered as a dynamic evolving open-pollinated population that shows a significant level of genetic variation, mostly detected within populations, and the presence of two main genetic groups, of which one distinguished from other Italian runner bean landraces. Results highlighted also a relevant importance of farmers’ management practices able to influence the genetic structure of this landrace, in particular the seed exchanges and selection, and the past introduction in cultivation of landraces/cultivars similar to seed morphology, but genetically rather far from “Fagiolone.” The most suitable on-farm strategies for seed collection, conservation and multiplication will be defined based on our results, as a model for threatened populations of other allogamous crop species. STRUCTURE and phylogenetic analyses indicated that Mesoamerican accessions and Italian landraces belong to two distinct gene pools confirming the hypothesis that Europe could be considered a secondary diversification center for P. coccineus.

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Acknowledgments

The present research was funded by the Regional Natural Park of the Simbruini Mountains within the project of the Lazio Region APQ7 “Natura in Campo”—Valorizzazione delle Filiere Agricole.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Dipartimento AGRARIA, Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, 89124, Reggio Calabria, Italy

      F. Mercati, M. R. Abenavoli & F. Sunseri

    2. DAFNE, University of Tuscia, Via S.C. de Lellis, 01100, Viterbo, Italy

      G. Catarcione, A. R. Paolacci & M. Ciaffi

    3. CNR – Istituto di Bioscienze e Biorisorse (IBBR), UOS Palermo, Corso Calatafimi 414, 90129, Palermo, Italy

      F. Mercati

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    1. F. Mercati
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    Correspondence to F. Sunseri or M. Ciaffi.

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    F. Mercati and G. Catarcione contributed equally to this study and should be considered co-first authors.

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    Mercati, F., Catarcione, G., Paolacci, A.R. et al. Genetic diversity and population structure of an Italian landrace of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.): inferences for its safeguard and on-farm conservation. Genetica 143, 473–485 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-015-9846-1

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