Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular Markers

ABSTRACT Rhododendron bailiense was identified as a new species in 2013, with approximately 150 individuals existing globally, found only in Dafang County and Panzhou City, Guizhou Province, China. Despite its discovery, the genetic diversity and population structure of this species remain poorly un...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jun Luo, Congjun Yuan, Haodong Wang, Jianhua Zhang, Jin Chen, Shuang He, Meng Chen, Xiaoyong Dai, Dali Luo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70966
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849713964823347200
author Jun Luo
Congjun Yuan
Haodong Wang
Jianhua Zhang
Jin Chen
Shuang He
Meng Chen
Xiaoyong Dai
Dali Luo
author_facet Jun Luo
Congjun Yuan
Haodong Wang
Jianhua Zhang
Jin Chen
Shuang He
Meng Chen
Xiaoyong Dai
Dali Luo
author_sort Jun Luo
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Rhododendron bailiense was identified as a new species in 2013, with approximately 150 individuals existing globally, found only in Dafang County and Panzhou City, Guizhou Province, China. Despite its discovery, the genetic diversity and population structure of this species remain poorly understood, hindering efforts to collect and conserve wild germplasm resources. In this study, double digest restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing was conducted on 26 samples from two populations of R. bailiense to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. Using these data, the research explores the genetic diversity and structure of R. bailiense populations and infers their population dynamics and evolutionary history. The results indicate that R. bailiense has a moderate level of genetic diversity (π = 0.2489, Ho = 0.2039, He = 0.2331). Genetic differentiation between populations is relatively high (55.94%), with a genetic differentiation coefficient (FST) of 0.1907. This suggests that R. bailiense historically might have been a large population, which, due to geological historical events, became fragmented into the two existing populations. The Panzhou population demonstrates a heterozygote selection advantage. Conversely, the Dafang population faces the risk of inbreeding depression, further exacerbated by its limited gene flow. Consequently, in situ conservation is recommended for the Panzhou population, while ex‐situ conservation is suggested for the Dafang population. Additionally, research on breeding techniques is necessary to expand the population size while maintaining high genetic diversity.
format Article
id doaj-art-82fea039bb1f44b8b1d0fec483a674e4
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-7758
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Ecology and Evolution
spelling doaj-art-82fea039bb1f44b8b1d0fec483a674e42025-08-20T03:13:50ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-02-01152n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70966Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular MarkersJun Luo0Congjun Yuan1Haodong Wang2Jianhua Zhang3Jin Chen4Shuang He5Meng Chen6Xiaoyong Dai7Dali Luo8Guizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaGuizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaGuizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaPanzhou Forestry Bureau Panzhou Guizhou ChinaGuizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaGuizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaGuizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaGuizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaGuizhou Academy of Forestry Guiyang Guizhou ChinaABSTRACT Rhododendron bailiense was identified as a new species in 2013, with approximately 150 individuals existing globally, found only in Dafang County and Panzhou City, Guizhou Province, China. Despite its discovery, the genetic diversity and population structure of this species remain poorly understood, hindering efforts to collect and conserve wild germplasm resources. In this study, double digest restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing was conducted on 26 samples from two populations of R. bailiense to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. Using these data, the research explores the genetic diversity and structure of R. bailiense populations and infers their population dynamics and evolutionary history. The results indicate that R. bailiense has a moderate level of genetic diversity (π = 0.2489, Ho = 0.2039, He = 0.2331). Genetic differentiation between populations is relatively high (55.94%), with a genetic differentiation coefficient (FST) of 0.1907. This suggests that R. bailiense historically might have been a large population, which, due to geological historical events, became fragmented into the two existing populations. The Panzhou population demonstrates a heterozygote selection advantage. Conversely, the Dafang population faces the risk of inbreeding depression, further exacerbated by its limited gene flow. Consequently, in situ conservation is recommended for the Panzhou population, while ex‐situ conservation is suggested for the Dafang population. Additionally, research on breeding techniques is necessary to expand the population size while maintaining high genetic diversity.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70966ddRAD‐seqgenetic structurepopulation dynamic historysingle nucleotide polymorphism
spellingShingle Jun Luo
Congjun Yuan
Haodong Wang
Jianhua Zhang
Jin Chen
Shuang He
Meng Chen
Xiaoyong Dai
Dali Luo
Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular Markers
Ecology and Evolution
ddRAD‐seq
genetic structure
population dynamic history
single nucleotide polymorphism
title Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular Markers
title_full Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular Markers
title_fullStr Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular Markers
title_full_unstemmed Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular Markers
title_short Study on the Genetic Diversity Characteristics of the Endemic Plant Rhododendron bailiense in Guizhou, China Based on SNP Molecular Markers
title_sort study on the genetic diversity characteristics of the endemic plant rhododendron bailiense in guizhou china based on snp molecular markers
topic ddRAD‐seq
genetic structure
population dynamic history
single nucleotide polymorphism
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70966
work_keys_str_mv AT junluo studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT congjunyuan studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT haodongwang studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT jianhuazhang studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT jinchen studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT shuanghe studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT mengchen studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT xiaoyongdai studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers
AT daliluo studyonthegeneticdiversitycharacteristicsoftheendemicplantrhododendronbailienseinguizhouchinabasedonsnpmolecularmarkers