ArticleAnnals of botany2023
Ecological and evolutionary drivers of phenotypic and genetic variation in the European crabapple [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill.], a wild relative of the cultivated apple.
Article in Annals of botany, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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4 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Genomic forecasting for climate-resilient fruit trees.The New phytologist · 2026Review
- Identifying the contributions of progenitor Malus species to cultivated apple (M. domestica) using 20K SNP array data.BMC genomics · 2026Article
- Insights Into the Almond Domestication History.Evolutionary applications · 2025Article
- Genomic resources for crop wild relatives are critical for perennial fruit breeding and conservation.American journal of botany · 2025Review
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22 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsStudying the relationship between phenotypic and genetic variation in populations distributed across environmental gradients can help us to understand the ecological and evolutionary processes involved in population divergence. We investigated the patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity in the European crabapple, Malus sylvestris, a wild relative of the cultivated apple (Malus domestica) that occurs naturally across Europe in areas subjected to different climatic conditions, to test for divergence among populations.
methodsGrowth rates and traits related to carbon uptake in seedlings collected across Europe were measured in controlled conditions and associated with the genetic status of the seedlings, which was assessed using 13 microsatellite loci and the Bayesian clustering method. Isolation-by-distance, isolation-by-climate and isolation-by-adaptation patterns, which can explain genetic and phenotypic differentiation among M. sylvestris populations, were also tested. KEY
resultsA total of 11.6 % of seedlings were introgressed by M. domestica, indicating that crop-wild gene flow is ongoing in Europe. The remaining seedlings (88.4 %) belonged to seven M. sylvestris populations. Significant phenotypic trait variation among M. sylvestris populations was observed. We did not observe significant isolation by adaptation; however, the significant association between genetic variation and the climate during the Last Glacial Maximum suggests that there has been local adaptation of M. sylvestris to past climates.
conclusionsThis study provides insight into the phenotypic and genetic differentiation among populations of a wild relative of the cultivated apple. This might help us to make better use of its diversity and provide options for mitigating the impact of climate change on the cultivated apple through breeding.
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