• DOI:10.1038/s41467-018-06983-8
• Corpus ID: 53215329

Genome sequences of two diploid wild relatives of cultivated sweetpotato reveal targets for genetic improvement

@article{Wu2018GenomeSO,
  title={Genome sequences of two diploid wild relatives of cultivated sweetpotato reveal targets for genetic improvement},
  author={Shan Wu and Kin H. Lau and Qinghe Cao and John P. Hamilton and Honghe Sun and Chenxi Zhou and Lauren A. Eserman and Dorcus C. Gemenet and Bode A. Olukolu and Haiyan Wang and Emily Crisovan and Grant T. Godden and Chen Jiao and Xin Wang and Mercy Kitavi and Norma C. Manrique-Carpintero and Brieanne Vaillancourt and Krystle Wiegert-Rininger and Xinsun Yang and Kan Bao and Jennifer E. Schaff and Jan F. Kreuze and Wolfgang J. Gruneberg and Awais Khan and Marc Ghislain and Daifu Ma and Jiming Jiang and Robert O. M. Mwanga and James H. Leebens-Mack and Lachlan James M. Coin and G. Craig Yencho and C. Robin Buell and Zhangjun Fei},
  journal={Nature Communications},
  year={2018},
  volume={9}
}

• Shan Wu, K. H. Lau, +30 authors Z. Fei
• Published 2 November 2018
• Biology, Medicine
• Nature Communications

Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] is a globally important staple food crop, especially for sub-Saharan Africa. Agronomic improvement of sweetpotato has lagged behind other major food crops due to a lack of genomic and genetic resources and inherent challenges in breeding a heterozygous, clonally propagated polyploid. Here, we report the genome sequences of its two diploid relatives, I. trifida and I. triloba, and show that these high-quality genome assemblies are robust references for hexaploid sweetpotato. Comparative and phylogenetic analyses reveal insights into the ancient whole-genome triplication history of Ipomoea and evolutionary relationships within the Batatas complex. Using resequencing data from 16 genotypes widely used in African breeding programs, genes and alleles associated with carotenoid biosynthesis in storage roots are identified, which may enable efficient breeding of varieties with high provitamin A content. These resources will facilitate genome-enabled breeding in this important food security crop.Sweetpotato is an important food security crop providing rich source of macro- and micronutrients including carbohydrates and vitamins. Here, the authors assemble of the two diploid relatives of cultivated sweetpotato and identify genes and alleles associated with carotenoid biosynthesis from breeding lines.