The origin of Pyrus species native to East Asia: Population structure and genetic diversity of Wild Ussurian and sand pears

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25430191
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Conservation of biological resources
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: KATAYAMA HIRONORI 神戸大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (50294202)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): UEMATSU Chiyomi 大阪市立大学, 理学研究科, 講師 (30232789)
• Research Collaborator: WUYUN Tana 中国林科院, 泡桐経済林研究開発センター, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: Pyrus ussuriensis / Pyrus pyrifolia / Pear / Population genetics / Population structure / Genetic diversity / Phylogeny / Origin of pear

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pyrus ussriensis Maxim. is native to the northern part of China, but whose habitats are currently being destroyed by environmental changes and human deforestation. Wild Ussurian pear populations possessed low genetic diversity as a result of habitat fragmentation. These were divided into 5 groups based on the Bayesian clustering method using nSSRs and by haplotype distributions by cpSSRs. The genetic diversity of the populations in Inner Mongolia and north east of Heilongjiang representing unique genotypes was especially low. These populations need urgent conservation because of their genetic vulnerability and peculiarity. Distant evolutionary relationships between P. ussuriensis Maxim. in China and var. aromatica in Japan inferred from phylogenetic analysis are also discussed. Although wild sand pears were also explored on mountain areas in central region of China, individuals sampled were identified with interspecific hybrids between sand pear cultivar and pea pear by DNA analysis.

Free Research Field

果樹遺伝資源学