Genetic Diversity and Structure of Core Collection of Winter Mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) Developed by Genomic SSR Markers

Author: mycolabadmin
2017-07-03
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Summary

This research established an efficient way to preserve and manage the genetic diversity of the winter mushroom, an economically important edible mushroom widely cultivated in East Asia. The study created a smaller but representative collection of mushroom strains that captures all genetic variation, making it easier to develop new and improved varieties. Impacts on everyday life: • More efficient breeding could lead to better quality mushrooms in markets • Improved strains could reduce energy costs in mushroom cultivation • Preservation of wild strains could help develop mushrooms with medicinal properties • Better temperature tolerance could make mushrooms more widely available • Conservation of genetic diversity ensures sustainable mushroom production for future generations

Background

A core collection is a subset of accessions that represents the maximum possible genetic diversity contained in an entire collection with minimum redundancy. While core collections have been established for most major food crops, the development of core collections for edible mushrooms is still in its early stages. Flammulina velutipes is cultivated on a large scale in East Asia, with China being the largest producer at 2.4 million tons annually. Previous research identified 81 genetically different strains that needed efficient management through a representative core collection.

Objective

The study aimed to establish the first core collection of F. velutipes, evaluate its genetic diversity compared to the entire collection, and analyze its genetic structure. The goal was to create an efficient platform for future mushroom breeding while maintaining maximum genetic diversity with minimum redundancy.

Results

The study established a core collection of 32 strains (19 cultivars and 13 wild strains) that captured 100% of the allelic diversity of the entire collection. The genetic diversity parameters showed no significant differences between the core and entire collections. Genetic structure analyses revealed that the 32 strains could be clustered into 6 groups, with groups 1-3 containing cultivars and groups 4-6 containing wild strains. Wild strains demonstrated greater genetic diversity than cultivars and possessed specific alleles based on geographic origins.

Conclusion

The researchers successfully established the first core collection of F. velutipes in China, creating an important platform for efficient breeding. The wild strains in the core collection possessed favorable agronomic characteristics and unique bioactive compounds, adding value to the platform. The study recommends increased attention to wild strains in future breeding programs.

Published in:Hereditas,
Study Type:Genetic Analysis,
Source: 10.1186/s41065-017-0038-0