Dissertation Research: The Systematics and Evolution of Jaltomata (Solanaceae)

PI提出了一个研究的分类，模式的系统发育 Jaltomata的关系和进化过程。 一 茄科的一个新热带草本到半灌木的属。 其中一个物种，人们对它的了解很少，在分类上也很混乱 属是特别感兴趣的，因为它正在经历 在墨西哥逐渐驯化为水果作物;水果和 其他几个物种的根茎也被人类食用。 PI将构建一个基于叶绿体DNA的染色体发生系统。 基于 在这个严格构建的遗传学上， 形态学和核型进化的模式， 将对地理学进行测试。 他们还将探索 育种系统 Jaltomata特别适合研究 进化的过程和模式有几个原因。 通用 边界是一个具有挑战性的问题;一些工人保留了 管花Jaltomata物种Hebecladus，和物种 Saracha和Physalis被视为Jaltomata。 有 物种之间的许多形态多样性（习性，服饰， 花冠的形状和颜色等）。 因此，该集团借 形态进化的研究，因为它涉及到 遗传学，染色体进化，海拔的进化/ 生境偏好和繁殖系统进化。 属 包括多种多样的繁殖系统，例如自花受精， 兼性自花受精和专性异交。

The PIs proposed a study of the taxonomy, pattern of phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary processes in Jaltomata. A neotropical, herbaceous to suffrutescent genus of the Solanaceae. One species of this poorly understood and taxonomically confused genus is of particular interest because it is undergoing progressive domestication in Mexico as a fruit crop; fruits and root-stocks of several other species are also consumed by humans. The PIs will construct a chloroplast DNA-based phylogeny. Based on this rigorously constructed phylogeny, independently derived patterns of morphological and karyotypical evolution and biogeography will be tested. They will also explore evolution of breeding systems. Jaltomata is especially suitable for the study of evolutionary process and pattern for several reasons. Generic boundaries present a challenging problem; some workers retain the tubular flowered Jaltomata species as Hebecladus, and species of Saracha and Physalis have been treated as Jaltomata. There is much morphological diversity among species (habit, vestiture, corolla shape and color, etc.). The group, therefore, lends itself to the study of morphological evolution as it relates to phylogeny, chromosomal evolution, the evolution of altitude / habitat preference and breeding system evolution. The genus includes a diversity of breeding systems such as autogamy, facultative autogamy, and obligate outcrossing.