Newly Developed Genomic SSRs Reveal Genetic Diversity in Wild and Cultivated Amorphophallus albus Germplasms

Amorphophallus albus is a crop plant of great economic value in glucomannan production. However, the cultivation industry surrounding this plant is so new that no comprehensive studies have been conducted on its genetic diversity. To accelerate the implementation of agricultural production, we developed genomic SSR markers for A. albus with RAD-seq and used these markers to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure of wild and cultivated A. albus germplasms (216 individuals). We discovered a high level of genetic diversity, but no significant differences were found in genetic diversity between the wild and cultivated resources. Analysis of population genetic structure suggested that these populations formed two distinct groups, one upstream along the Chin-sha River and the other downstream. This study suggests that the domestication of A. albus is in an early stage where the cultivated germplasms have not yet undergone the loss of genetic diversity caused by artificial selection. Thousands of SSRs developed in this study could be used in future breeding programs, and the findings in our studymight lay the groundwork for the genetic improvement of A. albus.