Genomic Analysis of Date Palm Fruit Size Traits and Identification of Candidate Genes through GWAS

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Younuskunju, Shameem, Mohamoud, Yasmin A., Mathew, Lisa Sara, Mayer, Klaus F. X., Suhre, Karsten, Malek, Joel A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Younuskunju, Shameem
Mohamoud, Yasmin A.
Mathew, Lisa Sara
Mayer, Klaus F. X.
Suhre, Karsten
Malek, Joel A.
author_facet Younuskunju, Shameem
Mohamoud, Yasmin A.
Mathew, Lisa Sara
Mayer, Klaus F. X.
Suhre, Karsten
Malek, Joel A.
contents The commercial value of economically significant fruits, including date palm fruit (dates), is influenced by various factors, such as biochemical composition and morphological features like size, shape, and visual appearance, which are key determinants of their quality and market value. Dates are typically consumed at the dry stage (Tamar), during which they exhibit a wide range of physical characteristics, such as color, length, weight, and skin appearance. Understanding the genetic basis of these traits is crucial for improving crop quality and breeding new cultivars. In this study, we integrated a genome dataset from highly diverse date cultivars with phenotypes of dry fruit such as length, width, area, and weight, identifying multiple significant genetic loci (SNPs) associated with these traits. We also identified candidate genes located near the associated SNPs that are involved in biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation, growth, and the regulation of signalling pathways for growth regulators like auxin and abscisic acid, as observed in other plants. Gene expression analysis reveals that many of these genes are highly expressed in the early stage of fruit development when the fruit attains its maximum size and weight. These findings will enhance our understanding of genetic determinants of fruit size particularly at the commercially important Tamar stage.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_11831
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Genomic Analysis of Date Palm Fruit Size Traits and Identification of Candidate Genes through GWAS
Younuskunju, Shameem
Mohamoud, Yasmin A.
Mathew, Lisa Sara
Mayer, Klaus F. X.
Suhre, Karsten
Malek, Joel A.
Genomics
The commercial value of economically significant fruits, including date palm fruit (dates), is influenced by various factors, such as biochemical composition and morphological features like size, shape, and visual appearance, which are key determinants of their quality and market value. Dates are typically consumed at the dry stage (Tamar), during which they exhibit a wide range of physical characteristics, such as color, length, weight, and skin appearance. Understanding the genetic basis of these traits is crucial for improving crop quality and breeding new cultivars. In this study, we integrated a genome dataset from highly diverse date cultivars with phenotypes of dry fruit such as length, width, area, and weight, identifying multiple significant genetic loci (SNPs) associated with these traits. We also identified candidate genes located near the associated SNPs that are involved in biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation, growth, and the regulation of signalling pathways for growth regulators like auxin and abscisic acid, as observed in other plants. Gene expression analysis reveals that many of these genes are highly expressed in the early stage of fruit development when the fruit attains its maximum size and weight. These findings will enhance our understanding of genetic determinants of fruit size particularly at the commercially important Tamar stage.
title Genomic Analysis of Date Palm Fruit Size Traits and Identification of Candidate Genes through GWAS
topic Genomics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.11831