Origin and diversity of the wild cottons (Gossypium hirsutum) of Mound Key, Florida.

ABSTRACT: Elucidating genetic diversity within wild forms of modern crops is essential for understanding domestication and the possibilities of wild germplasm utilization. Gossypium hirsutum is a predominant source of natural plant fibers and the most widely cultivated cotton species. Wild forms of G. hirsutum are challenging to distinguish from feral derivatives, and truly wild populations are uncommon. Here we characterize a population from Mound Key Archaeological State Park, Florida using genome-wide SNPs extracted from 25 individuals over three sites. Our results reveal that this population is genetically dissimilar from other known wild, landrace, and domesticated cottons, and likely represents a pocket of previously unrecognized wild genetic diversity. The unexpected level of divergence betwe

SUBMITTER: Ning W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11189519 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature