Jiayi Wu Jiayi Wu Jiayi Wu

Modern Agriculture Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 5   
Received: 06 Sep., 2024    Accepted: 07 Oct., 2024    Published: 14 Oct., 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.

The study titled explores the evolutionary history and ecological implications of long-distance dispersal events in the cotton genus, Gossypium. Phylogenomic analyses reveal that Gossypium likely originated from Africa and dispersed transoceanically to the New World around 6.6 million years ago, with significant diversification occurring during the mid-Pleistocene. This dispersal and subsequent diversification were facilitated by multiple long-distance dispersal events, leading to the wide geographic distribution of Gossypium species across tropical and subtropical regions. Comparative genomic studies highlight the role of repetitive DNA and transposable elements in genome evolution, with a notable bias towards genome downsizing through deletions. The study also underscores the importance of hybridization and introgression in the evolutionary history of Gossypium, contributing to its genetic diversity and adaptability. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms driving the transoceanic dispersal and diversification of Gossypium, offering insights into the broader patterns of plant biogeography and evolution.

Gossypium; Transoceanic dispersal; Phylogenomics; Genome evolution; Hybridization