IADIZA   20886
INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIONES DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Diversity and evolutionary history of wild and cultivated tomatoes
Autor/es:
PERALTA I. E.
Lugar:
Alejandría, Egipto
Reunión:
Conferencia; Conferencia Internacional sobre Evolución y Sociedad, el legado vivo de Darwin (Darwin’s Living Legacy: An International Conference on Evolution and Society); 2009
Institución organizadora:
Consejo Británico y la Biblioteca de Alejandría
Resumen:
Twelve wild tomatoes and four additional species closely related to tomatoes are native to western South America from Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia to northern Chile and the Galápagos Islands, where two endemic species grow. Some weedy escaped forms of cultivated tomatoes are distributed worldwide. A summary of a recent monographic treatment is presented; including species distribution, endemism, habitat adaptation, morphology and uses. Wild tomatoes evolutionary history inference based on molecular data, and hypotheses of diversification and speciation are also discussed. The taxonomy and classification of the group is summarized considering closely related groups like potatoes. The cultivated tomato, domesticated in America, is one of the most important vegetables consumed all over the world and supplies essential nutrients in human diets. Breeding for pure lines in the cultivated tomato has narrowed its genetic base. Fortunately, genetic resources from the primary centre of diversity provide useful genetic traits to improve the crop, and international efforts have been made to maintain ex situ wild and cultivated germplasm, and to sequence the complete tomato genome. Recommendations for in situ wild tomato species conservation are concluded based on distribution, diversity and molecular data. Landraces traditionally maintained by Andean American cultures are also valuable resources of main concern for conservation, and presently the main goal is to rescue the richness of genetic resources and cultural values of Andean communities.