Collaborative Research: An investigation of the evolution and taxonomy of the true blueberries (Vaccinium section Cyanococcus)

北美蓝莓是一种罕见的原产于美国的驯化木本植物，由于其作为一种粮食作物的经济重要性，一直受到农学家的深入研究。然而，该组织的进化史仍不确定。特别是，关于自然界中存在多少物种的清晰看法仍然难以捉摸：目前的估计在9到24种之间。其中一个原因是物种间广泛的形态差异。此外，蓝莓物种杂交(杂交)的能力进一步混淆了物种鉴定。这些杂交事件偶尔也会通过复制亲本基因组而导致完全新的物种的形成，这种现象被称为多倍体。然而，这些多倍体往往很难与亲本区分开来，导致无法识别的多样性。这项研究将试图通过提供对蓝莓物种边界和多样性的彻底评估来纠正这一点，同时考虑到进化历史。该项目将导致生物多样性的发现，修改蓝莓的命名惯例，并详细了解多倍体及其在塑造这一具有生态和经济重要性的群体的进化史和物种构成中的作用。该项目还将包括许多培训机会，一本图文并茂的故事书将教育孩子们基本的植物学和蓝莓的自然历史。广泛的基于野外和植物标本馆的研究将与各种分子技术和分析方法相结合，以提供对越桔属组的全面、系统和进化的研究。蓝球菌。系统基因组数据集将从目标浓缩数据中组合起来，以推断该群体的进化关系和生物地理历史。将设计一条定制管道，允许从多倍体中识别等位基因，填补自然发生的、非模式多倍体复合体研究的一个重要空白。等位基因将被用来检验关于多倍化的起源和模式的假说，以及二倍体祖先的鉴定。这项研究将在广泛的植物标本馆的形态研究、野外采集的材料和常见的花园研究的基础上，对蓝球藻进行彻底的分类修订。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为是值得支持的。

North American blueberries, a rare example of domesticated woody species with origins in the US, have been intensively studied by agronomists because of their economic importance as a food crop. However, the evolutionary history of the group is still uncertain. In particular, a clear view of how many species exist in nature remains elusive: current estimates range between nine and 24. One reason for this is extensive morphological variation within species. Additionally, the ability of blueberry species to hybridize (cross-breed) further confounds species identification. These hybridization events also occasionally result in the formation of completely new species via duplication of the parent genomes, a phenomenon known as polyploidy. These polyploids, however, are often difficult to distinguish from the parents, resulting in unrecognized diversity. This study will attempt to remedy this by providing a thorough assessment of blueberry species boundaries and diversity while accounting for evolutionary history. The project will result in biodiversity discovery, a revision of the naming convention in blueberries, and a detailed understanding of polyploidy and its role in shaping the evolutionary history and species composition of this ecologically and economically important group. The project will also include many training opportunities, and an illustrated storybook will educate children about basic botany and the natural history of blueberries. Extensive field- and herbarium-based research will be integrated with a variety of molecular techniques and analytical approaches to provide a comprehensive systematic and evolutionary study of Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus. A phylogenomic dataset will be assembled from target enrichment data to infer evolutionary relationships and biogeographic history of the group. A custom pipeline will be designed that allows for the identification of alleles from polyploids, filling an important gap in the study of naturally occurring, non-model polyploid complexes. Alleles will be used to test hypotheses regarding the origins and mode of polyploidization and identification of diploid progenitors. The study will conclude with a thorough taxonomic revision of Cyanococcus based on extensive morphological study of herbarium and field-collected material and common garden studies. This will comprise dichotomous and interactive keys, species descriptions, and geographic distribution maps.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.