Biology subjects

Cortes, A. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Cortes, A. J..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Selective breeding for determinacy and photoperiod sensitivity in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a legume pulse crop that provides significant dietary and ecosystem benefits globally. We investigated two key traits, determinacy and photoperiod sensitivity, that are integral to its management and crop production, and that were early selected during the domestication of both Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools. Still, significant variation exists among common bean landraces for these traits. Since landraces form the basis for trait introgression in pre-breeding, understanding these traits genetic underpinnings and relation with population structure is vital for guiding breeding and genetic studies. We explored genetic admixture, principal component, and phylogenetic analyses to define subpopulations and gene pools, and genome-wide association mapping (GWAS) to identify marker-trait associations in a diversity panel of common bean landraces. We observed a clear correlation between these traits, gene pool and subpopulation structure. We found extensive admixture between the Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools in some regions. We identified 13 QTLs for determinacy and 10 QTLs for photoperiod sensitivity, and underlying causative genes. Most QTLs appear to be firstly described. Our study identified known and novel causative genes and a high proportion of pleiotropic effects for these traits in common bean, and likely translatable to other legume species. HighlightWe identified and explored QTLs for the domestication-related determinacy and photoperiod sensitivity traits, which are traits critically associated with population structure and management and crop production.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Female-biased population sex ratios caused by genetic rather than ecological mechanisms

1. Biased sex ratios among reproductive individuals are common in plants, but the underlying mechanisms, as well as the evolutionary consequences, are not well understood. The classical theory of Dusing and Fisher predicts an equal primary sex ratio at seed production, based on the selective advantage of the rare sex. Biased sex ratios among reproductive plants can arise from sexual dimorphism in survival and flowering. Sex ratio biases can also be present from seed; in these cases, assumptions of Dusings and Fishers theory, for example, random mating or demographic equilibrium, were not met. 2. We investigated mechanisms leading to female-biased sex ratios in the arctic-alpine dwarf willow Salix herbacea L. We studied sex ratios in three natural populations over three years as well as in 29 crosses (full-sib families) under controlled conditions over four growth periods. We tested whether sex ratio was associated with germination, survival or flowering, and whether females and males differed in habitat, size or flowering. 3. We detected a strong and consistent female bias, both in natural populations (sex ratio [proportion of females]: 0.71-0.82) and in our controlled experiment (overall sex ratio: 0.70-0-72). Our data did not support habitat segregation of the sexes or sexual dimorphism in size or flowering. Family sex ratios varied largely (from 0.25 to 1), including many female-biased families, but also unbiased families and two male-biased families. Families with lower germination, seedling establishment, survival or flowering did not have stronger female bias, indicating that intrinsically higher survival or flowering in females does not explain overall female bias. 4. Synthesis. Our results suggest that sex ratio bias in S. herbacea is already present in seeds and does not arise through intrinsic differences between sexes. Candidate mechanisms that can lead to both overall female bias and variation in sex ratio among families are meiotic drive or cyto-nuclear interactions. The pioneer habit of Salix may lead to non-equilibrium population dynamics that allow for the long-term persistence of variable genetic sex ratio distortion systems that arise from genetic conflict.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Multi-environment Genome Wide Association Studies of Yield Traits in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) x Tepary Bean (P. acutifolius A. Gray) Interspecific Advanced Lines at the Humid and Dry Colombian Caribbean Subregions

Genome Wide Associations Studies GWAS are a powerful strategy for the exploration adaptive genetic variation to drought stress in advanced lines in common bean with interspecific genotypes, yet they still lack behind in the use of arid multi-environments as the subregions of the Colombian Caribbean. In order to bridge this gap, we couple an advanced genotypes panel integrated with Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) x Tepary Bean (P. acutifolius A. Gray) interspecific lines with GWAS algorithms to identify novel sources of drought tolerance across the subregions of Colombian Caribbean. One of the most important challenges in agriculture is to achieve food security in environments vulnerable to climate change which worsens with the passing of the years. The common bean, a key product of the food basket of vulnerable regions of the Caribbean is affected by the reduction in yield under drought stress. A total of 87 advanced accessions with interspecific lines were genotyped by sequencing (GBS), leading to the discovery of 15,645 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Five yield traits were developed for each accession and inputted in GWAS algorithms (i.e. FarmCPU, and BLINK) to identify putative associated loci in drought stress. Best-fit models revealed 47 significantly associated alleles distributed in all 11 common bean chromosomes. Flanking candidate genes were identified using 1-kb genomic windows centered in each associated SNP marker. A pathways enriched analysis was carried out using the mapped output in the GWAS step for each yield traits indices. Some of these genes were directly linked to response mechanisms of drought stress to level morphological, physiological, metabolic, signal transduction, and fatty acid and phospholipid metabolism. This work offers putative associated loci for marker-assisted and genomic selection for drought tolerance in common bean. It also demonstrates that it is feasible to identify genome-wide associations with an interspecific panel of genotypes and modern GWAS algorithms in multiples environments.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2020

The Nature of Espeletia Species

Species are often regarded as basic units of study in biology, following the presumption that they are real and discrete natural entities. But several biologists wonder if species are arbitrary divisions that do not correspond to discrete natural groups of organisms. Two issues must be addressed to solve this controversy, but few studies seem to do so. The first is whether organisms form sympatric and synchronic groups that are distinct in terms of phenotypes and genome-wide allele frequencies, often called "good species." Alternatives to "good species" include "cryptic species," syngameons and, more generally, cases in which phenotypes and genome-wide allele frequencies reflect contrasting evolutionary histories. The second issue is the degree to which species taxa (i.e., taxonomic classification at the species level) reflect natural groups of organisms or constitute arbitrary divisions of biological diversity. Here, we empirically addressed both issues by studying plants of the Andean genus Espeletia (Asteraceae). We collected a geographically dense sample of 538 specimens from the paramo de Sumapaz, in the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia. Additionally, we examined 165 herbarium specimens previously collected by other researchers in this region, or from taxa known to occur there. We tested for the existence of phenotypic groups using normal mixture models and data on 13 quantitative characters. Among 307 specimens with all 13 measurements, we found six distinct phenotypic groups in sympatry. We also tested for the existence of groups defined by genome-wide allele frequencies, using ancestry models and data on 2,098 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Among 77 specimens with complete genomic data, we found three groups in sympatry, with high levels of admixture. Concordance between groups defined by phenotype and genome-wide allele frequencies was low, suggesting that phenotypes and genome-wide allele frequencies reflect contrasting evolutionary histories. Moreover, the high levels of admixture suggest that Espeletia plants form a syngameon in the paramo de Sumapaz. To determine the extent to which species taxa corresponded to phenotypic and genomic groups, we used data on 12 phenotypic characters to assign 307 specimens to species taxa, according to descriptions of species taxa in the most recent monograph of Espeletia. This sample included 27 specimens cited in the monograph. Remarkably, only one out of 307 specimens in our sample fell inside any of the phenotypic ranges reported in the monograph for the species taxa known to occur in the paramo de Sumapaz. These results show that species taxa in Espeletia are delineations of largely empty phenotypic space that miss biological diversity.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Inheritance of Rootstock Effects in Avocado ( Persea americana Mill.) cv. Hass

Grafting is typically utilized to merge adapted seedling rootstocks with highly productive clonal scions. This process implies the interaction of multiple genomes to produce a unique tree phenotype. Yet, the interconnection of both genotypes obscures individual contributions to phenotypic variation (i.e. rootstock-mediated heritability), hampering tree breeding. Therefore, our goal was to quantify the inheritance of seedling rootstock effects on scion traits using avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cv. Hass as model fruit tree. We characterized 240 rootstocks from 8 avocado cv. Hass orchards in three regions of the province of Antioquia, in the northwest Andes of Colombia, using 13 microsatellite markers (simple sequence repeats - SSRs). Parallel to this, we recorded 20 phenotypic traits (including morphological, eco-physiological, and fruit yield and quality traits) in the scions for three years (2015-2017). Relatedness among rootstocks was inferred through the genetic markers and inputted in a genetic prediction model in order to calculate narrow-sense heritabilities (h2) on scion traits. We used three different randomization tests to highlight traits with consistently significant heritability estimates. This strategy allowed us to capture five traits with significant heritability values that ranged from 0.33 to 0.45 and model fits (R2) that oscillated between 0.58 and 0.74 across orchards. The results showed significance in the rootstock effects for four complex harvest and quality traits (i.e. total number of fruits, number of fruits with exportation quality, and number of fruits discarded because of low weight or thrips damage), while the only morphological trait that had a significant heritability value was overall trunk height (an emergent property of the rootstock-scion interaction). These findings suggest the inheritance of rootstock effects, beyond root phenotype, on a surprisingly wide spectrum of scion traits in Hass avocado. They also reinforce the utility of SSR markers for relatedness reconstruction and genetic prediction of complex traits. This research is, up to date, the most cohesive evidence of narrow-sense inheritance of rootstock effects in a tropical fruit tree crop. Ultimately, our work reinforces the importance of considering the rootstock-scion interaction to broaden the genetic basis of fruit tree breeding programs, while enhancing our understanding of the consequences of grafting.

plant biology↗