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Genetic Diversity and Domestication History in Pyrus

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Book cover The Pear Genome

Part of the book series: Compendium of Plant Genomes ((CPG))

Abstract

The cultivated pear is a major fruit crop in Eurasia that underpins many local economies. However, its origin and domestication history, as well as the diversity of wild pears in natural ecosystems, are at the early stages of exploration. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the described diversity and genetic relationships among wild and cultivated Pyrus species. Non-discriminatory morphological characters, poor diagnostic genetic tools, and lack of access to samples scattered throughout worldwide genebank collections make it difficult to definitively elucidate relationships of pear species and more generally Pyrus diversification and domestication. High-throughput sequencing is providing advancements in our understanding of the domestication process of the pear, and of biogeography, taxonomy, and ecology of wild pears. This knowledge will be crucial for future breeding programs focused on improving quality and production traits.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation, 1111 S. Mason St., 80521, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Gayle M. Volk

  2. Génétique Quantitative et Evolution—Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France

    Amandine Cornille

Authors
  1. Gayle M. Volk
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  2. Amandine Cornille
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Correspondence to Gayle M. Volk .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    Schuyler S. Korban

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© 2019 This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply

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Volk, G.M., Cornille, A. (2019). Genetic Diversity and Domestication History in Pyrus. In: Korban, S. (eds) The Pear Genome. Compendium of Plant Genomes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11048-2_3

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