Saffron (Crocus sativus) is an autotriploid that evolved in Attica (Greece) from wildCrocus cartwrightianus

Abstract

&"Crocus sativus is the source of saffron, which is made from dried stigmas of the plant. $'"It is a male-sterile triploid that ever since its origin has been propagated vegetatively. $("The mode of evolution and area of origin of saffron are matters of long-lasting $)" debates. Here we analyzed chloroplast genomes, genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) $*" data, nuclear single-copy genes, and genome sizes to solve these controversial %+"issues. We could place 99.3% of saffron GBS alleles in Crocus cartwrightianus, a %!" species occurring in southern mainland Greece and on Aegean islands, identifying it %#" as the sole progenitor of saffron. Phylogenetic and population assignment analyses %$" together with chloroplast polymorphisms indicated the wild C. cartwrightianus %%" population south of Athens as most similar to C. sativus. We conclude that the crop is %&" an autotriploid that evolved in Attica by combining two different genotypes of C. %'" cartwrightianus. Vegetative propagation prevented afterwards segregation of the %(" favorable traits of saffron. %)" %*"

Adding color to a century‐old enigma: multi‐color chromosome identification unravels the autotriploid nature of saffron (Crocus sativus) as a hybrid of wild Crocus cartwrightianus cytotypes

“…b) as reference. Attica 4 ZN 519 is closely associated to saffron as also shown through genotyping by sequencing (Nemati et al ., , ). The chromosomal variability of C. cartwrightianus is strongly reflected by the genetic diversity observed as nuclear gene and genome‐wide DNA polymorphisms (Nemati et al ., ).…”

Comparative chloroplast genome s: insights into the evolution of the chloroplast genome of Camellia sinensis and the phylogeny of Camellia

“…Non-recombination and uniparental inheritance had made cpDNA marker a good indicator of maternal ancestry which could be easily identi ed in putative hybrid progeny in the absence of parental information, regardless of how many generations had past [25][26][27][28]. Using cpDNA marker as sequence characterized ampli ed region (SCAR) to screen for cp differences between species had proven to be utility in analysis of maternal ancestry of polyploid [29]. In a previous study on the evolution of allotetraploid Brassicas, cpDNA data revealed not only the maternal origin of three allotetraploids, but also speci c populations of diploids that contributed the cytoplasm to each allotetraploid, and proposed the possibility of introgressive hybridization (chloroplast transfer) [30].…”

Comparative chloroplast genomes: insights into the evolution of the chloroplast genome of Camellia sinensis and the phylogeny of Camellia 

“…The maternal parent could be easily identi ed in putative hybrid progeny in the absence of parental information, regardless of how many generations have past [17][18][19][20]. Using cpDNA marker as sequence characterized ampli ed region (SCAR) to screen for cp differences between species had proven to be utility in analysis of maternal ancestry of polyploid [21]. Moreover, the comparative studies of complete cp genome had been used to investigate divergences spanning an enormous range of evolutionary times, including the intraspeci c variation in domesticated plants [22] and early land plant evolution [23].…”