Data from: In situ genetic association for serotiny, a fire-related trait, in Mediterranean maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton)

Wildfire is a major ecological driver of plant evolution. Understanding
the genetic basis of plant adaptation to wildfire is crucial, because
impending climate change will involve fire regime changes worldwide. We
studied the molecular genetic basis of serotiny, a fire-related trait, in
Mediterranean maritime pine using association genetics. A single
nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) set was used to identify genotype :
phenotype associations in situ in an unstructured natural population of
maritime pine (eastern Iberian Peninsula) under a mixed-effects model
framework. RR-BLUP was used to build predictive models for serotiny in
this region. Model prediction power outside the focal region was tested
using independent range-wide serotiny data. Seventeen SNPs were
potentially associated with serotiny, explaining approximately 29% of the
trait phenotypic variation in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. Similar
prediction power was found for nearby geographical regions from the same
maternal lineage, but not for other genetic lineages. Association genetics
for ecologically relevant traits evaluated in situ is an attractive
approach for forest trees provided that traits are under strong genetic
control and populations are unstructured, with large phenotypic
variability. This will help to extend the research focus to ecological
keystone non-model species in their natural environments, where
polymorphisms acquired their adaptive value.