Wenzhong Huang

CRO Service Station, Sanya Tihitar SciTech Breeding Service Inc., Sanya, 572025, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Molecular Evolution and Biodiversity, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 3   doi: 10.5376/ijmeb.2024.14.0015
Received: 15 May, 2024    Accepted: 21 Jun., 2024    Published: 29 Jun., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Huang W.Z., 2024, Phylogenetic insights into cassava’s domestication: unraveling genetic origins and evolutionary trajectories, International Journal of Molecular Evolution and Biodiversity, 14(3): 120-132 (doi: 10.5376/ijmeb.2024.14.0015)

This systematic review synthesizes current knowledge on the phylogenetic insights into cassava’s domestication, tracing its genetic origins, and evolutionary trajectories. Leveraging advanced genetic markers and DNA sequencing technologies, studies have traced cassava’s lineage back to its wild ancestor, M. esculenta ssp. flabellifolia, in the southern Amazon basin, revealing a history of singular domestication events followed by global dissemination. The review highlights the significant genetic diversity within cassava populations and elucidates how specific traits for drought resistance, yield enhancement, and pest resistance have been selected through domestication and breeding efforts. A special case study focusing on cassava's adaptation to arid climates provides unique insights into the genetic mechanisms conferring drought resistance. Furthermore, the review discusses the complexities and limitations in current phylogenetic research, and proposes future directions for research. This review aims to deepen our understanding of cassava domestication and better apply it to improve and maintain cassava cultivation for future generations.

(Manihot esculenta Crantz); Cassava's domestication; Phylogenetic analysis; Genetic origin; Evolutionary trajectory; Drought resistance; Agricultural sustainability