DISSERTATION RESEARCH: An integrative genomic study of multiple domestication events in squash and pumpkin (Cucurbita, Cucurbitaceae)

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Domestication has radically altered wild species to meet human needs, producing traits dramatically different from those seen in the wild. This study will use genetic and genomic approaches to obtain new insights into squash and pumpkin (Cucurbita) domestication and identify genes that may have been involved in the domestication process. Cucurbita is unique in that there have been multiple domestication events from diverse wild ancestors in just this single genus. These multiple domestication events make Cucurbita an especially valuable system in which to study crop evolution. Cutting-edge DNA sequencing technologies will be used to resolve species relationships within Curcubita that have eluded researchers for decades. This framework will provide the context for investigating the genetic basis of domestication in squashes. The genes underlying domestication will be inferred from analyses of DNA diversity in all expressed genes across diverse wild and cultivated populations of two squash species. There is an urgent need for basic plant research that addresses the connection between the study of plants and the practice of agriculture, as breeding programs alone are not increasing crop yield sufficiently to meet the demands of projected population increase. Research, such as that described here, to identify specific genes underlying domestication traits will enable the development of efficient crop improvement techniques needed to meet this rising demand. This research will also provide co-PI Kates with significant training opportunities in diverse molecular and analytical techniques. In addition, the innovative combinations of techniques employed in this project will model new, inexpensive ways to study the genetics of plant adaptation in the context of plant relationships. Thus, the study will contribute to a broader understanding of domestication and adaptation.