Gene flow between alien and native races of the holoparasitic angiosperm Orobanche minor (Orobanchaceae)

Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of diploid Leucaena (Leguminosae; Mimosoideae) reveal cryptic species diversity and patterns of divergent allopatric speciation

“…The application of the SCAR‐based approach of Bailey et al (2004) for locus development, specifically implemented for studies involving closely related species, has proven useful in resolving highly supported divergent diploid species relationships in Leucaena . This finding is also consistent with the application of (Thorogood et al, 2009) and at least one extension of the method (González, 2010) in other plant groups. Thus this approach, along with conserved orthologous markers (e.g., Fulton et al, 2002; Choi et al, 2006; Lohithaswa et al, 2007), has helped bridge the gap between sole reliance on standard phylogenetic markers (e.g., nrDNA ITS and certain cpDNA markers) and the coming accessibility of massive marker sets derived from second generation sequencing approaches in nonmodel systems (e.g., Gompert et al, 2010; M. M. Koopman [Eastern Michigan University] et al, unpublished manuscript).…”

“…Species of Leucaena are concentrated in the seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) biome, a vegetation type that occupies a wide but highly disjunct distribution across the neotropics (Pennington et al, 2000, 2009) and is characterized by erratic moisture availability, long periods of seasonal drought, a general absence of grasses and natural fire disturbance, high levels of endemism (β diversity), and an abundance of succulent plants including Cactaceae that has prompted its designation as the “succulent biome” (Schrire et al, 2005). A predeliction for this type of vegetation suggests that Leucaena shows a pattern of phylogenetic niche conservatism (sensu Donoghue, 2008) to SDTFs, with only minor incursions of a few lineages into mid‐elevation seasonal pine–oak forests ( L. trichandra and L. macrophylla ), more‐mesic less‐seasonal lowland forests ( L. multicapitula ), and subtropical dry matorral ( L. greggii and L. retusa ).…”

Increased Virulence in Sunflower Broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) Populations from Southern Spain Is Associated with Greater Genetic Diversity

“…Admixture between populations, hybridization and recombination of avirulence genes has been identified as an important mechanism to create increasing virulent races in sunflower downy mildew (Ahmed et al, 2012). In Orobanche spp., the occurrence of gene flow between populations has been previously documented in O. minor (Thorogood et al, 2009) and O. cumana (Pineda-Martos et al, 2014a). …”

The contrasting roles of host species diversity and parasite population genetic diversity in the infection dynamics of a keystone parasitic plant

“…Previous work has demonstrated the occurrence of adaptation and coevolution among parasitic plants and their hosts, with different populations or races forming more or less exclusive relationships with particular host species (de Vega et al, ; Thorogood, Rumsey, & Hiscock, ; Thorogood, Rumsey, Harris, & Hiscock, ). In additional work on Orobanche minor , Thorogood, Rumsey, Harris, and Hiscock () were able to distinguish groups of specialist and more generalist populations of the parasite using SCAR (sequence characterized amplified regions) molecular markers. Their work provides evidence that host identity and diversity can be a factor explaining genetic differentiation in a parasitic plant, and that the genetic identity of the parasite will influence its survival in a multihost environment.…”