Genetic basis on lineage-specifically evolved fruit traits in hexaploid persimmon

Plants have specifically undergone frequent polyploidization events, which established many lineage-specific traits representing each species. Notwithstanding, genetic bases for these specific traits have been little known, presumably due to their genomic complexity and difficulty in genetic approaches in polyploidy inheritance modes. Hexaploid Oriental persimmon (Diospyros kaki) has evolved specific fruit characters, including a wide variation of fruit shapes, or quantitative variations of astringency. In this study, we conducted genome-wide population genetic approaches with a wide variety of hexaploid persimmon cultivars to uncover the genetic bases of these specific fruit traits. With the whole-genome wide diploidized and quantitative genotypes from ddRAD-Seq data of 173 persimmon cultivars, we examined their population structures and potential correlations between their structural transitions and nine fruit traits variations.