Genomic insights into the origin and evolution of spelt (Triticum spelta L.) as a valuable gene pool for modern wheat breeding.

ABSTRACT: Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) is an important wheat subspecies mainly cultivated in Europe before the 20th century that has contributed to modern wheat breeding as a valuable genetic resource. However, relatively little is known about the origins and maintenance of spelt populations. Here, using resequencing data from 416 worldwide wheat accessions, including representative spelt wheat, we demonstrate that European spelt emerged when primitive hexaploid wheat spread to the west and hybridized with pre-settled domesticated emmer, the putative maternal donor. Genomic introgression regions from domesticated emmer confer spelt's primitive morphological characters used for species taxonomy, such as tenacious glumes and later flowering. We propose a haplotype-based "spelt index" to ident

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11121738 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature