Mapping the diversity of maize races in Mexico

Authors: Perales, H. and Golicher, D.

Journal: PLoS ONE

Volume: 9

Issue: 12

eISSN: 1932-6203

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114657

Abstract:

Traditional landraces of maize are cultivated throughout more than one-half of Mexico's cropland. Efforts to organize in situ conservation of this important genetic resource have been limited by the lack of knowledge of regional diversity patterns. We used recent and historic collections of maize classified for race type to determine biogeographic regions and centers of landrace diversity. We also analyzed how diversity has changed over the last sixty years. Based on racial composition of maize we found that Mexico can be divided into 11 biogeographic regions. Six of these biogeographic regions are in the center and west of the country and contain more than 90% of the reported samples for 38 of the 47 races studied; these six regions are also the most diverse. We found no evidence of rapid overall decline in landrace diversity for this period. However, several races are now less frequently reported and two regions seem to support lower diversity than in previous collection periods. Our results are consistent with a previous hypothesis for diversification centers and for migration routes of original maize populations merging in western central Mexico. We provide maps of regional diversity patterns and landrace based biogeographic regions that may guide efforts to conserve maize genetic resources.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22533/

Source: Scopus

Mapping the diversity of maize races in Mexico.

Authors: Perales, H. and Golicher, D.

Journal: PLoS One

Volume: 9

Issue: 12

Pages: e114657

eISSN: 1932-6203

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114657

Abstract:

Traditional landraces of maize are cultivated throughout more than one-half of Mexico's cropland. Efforts to organize in situ conservation of this important genetic resource have been limited by the lack of knowledge of regional diversity patterns. We used recent and historic collections of maize classified for race type to determine biogeographic regions and centers of landrace diversity. We also analyzed how diversity has changed over the last sixty years. Based on racial composition of maize we found that Mexico can be divided into 11 biogeographic regions. Six of these biogeographic regions are in the center and west of the country and contain more than 90% of the reported samples for 38 of the 47 races studied; these six regions are also the most diverse. We found no evidence of rapid overall decline in landrace diversity for this period. However, several races are now less frequently reported and two regions seem to support lower diversity than in previous collection periods. Our results are consistent with a previous hypothesis for diversification centers and for migration routes of original maize populations merging in western central Mexico. We provide maps of regional diversity patterns and landrace based biogeographic regions that may guide efforts to conserve maize genetic resources.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22533/

Source: PubMed

Preferred by: Duncan Golicher

Mapping the Diversity of Maize Races in Mexico

Authors: Perales, H. and Golicher, D.

Journal: PLOS ONE

Volume: 9

Issue: 12

ISSN: 1932-6203

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114657

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22533/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Mapping the diversity of maize races in Mexico.

Authors: Perales, H. and Golicher, D.

Journal: PloS one

Volume: 9

Issue: 12

Pages: e114657

eISSN: 1932-6203

ISSN: 1932-6203

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114657

Abstract:

Traditional landraces of maize are cultivated throughout more than one-half of Mexico's cropland. Efforts to organize in situ conservation of this important genetic resource have been limited by the lack of knowledge of regional diversity patterns. We used recent and historic collections of maize classified for race type to determine biogeographic regions and centers of landrace diversity. We also analyzed how diversity has changed over the last sixty years. Based on racial composition of maize we found that Mexico can be divided into 11 biogeographic regions. Six of these biogeographic regions are in the center and west of the country and contain more than 90% of the reported samples for 38 of the 47 races studied; these six regions are also the most diverse. We found no evidence of rapid overall decline in landrace diversity for this period. However, several races are now less frequently reported and two regions seem to support lower diversity than in previous collection periods. Our results are consistent with a previous hypothesis for diversification centers and for migration routes of original maize populations merging in western central Mexico. We provide maps of regional diversity patterns and landrace based biogeographic regions that may guide efforts to conserve maize genetic resources.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22533/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

Mapping the diversity of maize races in Mexico.

Authors: Perales, H. and Golicher, D.

Journal: PLoS One

Volume: 9

Issue: 12

Pages: e114657

ISSN: 1932-6203

Abstract:

Traditional landraces of maize are cultivated throughout more than one-half of Mexico's cropland. Efforts to organize in situ conservation of this important genetic resource have been limited by the lack of knowledge of regional diversity patterns. We used recent and historic collections of maize classified for race type to determine biogeographic regions and centers of landrace diversity. We also analyzed how diversity has changed over the last sixty years. Based on racial composition of maize we found that Mexico can be divided into 11 biogeographic regions. Six of these biogeographic regions are in the center and west of the country and contain more than 90% of the reported samples for 38 of the 47 races studied; these six regions are also the most diverse. We found no evidence of rapid overall decline in landrace diversity for this period. However, several races are now less frequently reported and two regions seem to support lower diversity than in previous collection periods. Our results are consistent with a previous hypothesis for diversification centers and for migration routes of original maize populations merging in western central Mexico. We provide maps of regional diversity patterns and landrace based biogeographic regions that may guide efforts to conserve maize genetic resources.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22533/

Source: BURO EPrints