AUTHOR=Duan Shengchang , Yan Liang , Shen Zongfang , Li Xuzhen , Chen Baozheng , Li Dawei , Qin Hantao , Meegahakumbura Muditha K. , Wambulwa Moses C. , Gao Lianming , Chen Wei , Dong Yang , Sheng Jun 

TITLE=Genomic analyses of agronomic traits in tea plants and related Camellia species

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1449006

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1449006

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>The genus <italic>Camellia</italic> contains three types of domesticates that meet various needs of ancient humans: the ornamental <italic>C. japonica</italic>, the edible oil-producing <italic>C. oleifera</italic>, and the beverage-purposed tea plant <italic>C. sinensis</italic>. The genomic drivers of the functional diversification of <italic>Camellia</italic> domesticates remain unknown. Here, we present the genomic variations of 625 <italic>Camellia</italic> accessions based on a new genome assembly of <italic>C. sinensis</italic> var. <italic>assamica</italic> (‘YK10’), which consists of 15 pseudo-chromosomes with a total length of 3.35 Gb and a contig N50 of 816,948 bp. These accessions were mainly distributed in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. We profiled the population and subpopulation structure in tea tree <italic>Camellia</italic> to find new evidence for the parallel domestication of <italic>C. sinensis</italic> var. <italic>assamica</italic> (CSA) and <italic>C. sinensis</italic> var. <italic>sinensis</italic> (CSS). We also identified candidate genes associated with traits differentiating CSA, CSS, oilseed <italic>Camellia</italic>, and ornamental <italic>Camellia</italic> cultivars. Our results provide a unique global view of the genetic diversification of <italic>Camellia</italic> domesticates and provide valuable resources for ongoing functional and molecular breeding research.</p>