Format: ORAL

R. Ufimov1,3, S. Pov2, T. Fr4, C. Dobe1, M. van Loo1, R. Schmickl4,5

1 Institute of Forest Growth, Silviculture, and Genetics, Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 8, Vienna 1130, Austria 2 Institute of Forest Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 8, Vienna 1130, Austria 3 Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Prof. Popova 2, St. Petersburg 197376, Russian Federation 4 Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Benátská 2, Prague 128 01, Czech Republic 5 Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, Pruhonice 252 43, Czech Republic

The Rosaceae tribe Maleae, encompassing a wide range of fruit crops, horticultural, and forestry species, displays significant diversity, especially within its subtribe, Malinae. This study undertook a comprehensive Hyb-Seq-based nuclear and plastid phylogenetic analysis of 184 accessions from 159 species across all genera within Maleae. The objective was to place the evolutionary trajectory of Maleae in both a spatial and temporal framework, while also investigating the potential drivers of diversification in Malinae, particularly focusing on the role of whole genome duplication (WGD). The research uncovered two major radiative events within the Malinae subtribe. The first of these events occurred around the Early Eocene in the Madrean Region, and the second during the Middle Miocene in East Asia. These evolutionary radiations were shaped by over 50 million years of changing habitat connectivity, involving the Madrean-Tethyan floristic belt and the Boreotropical forest belt. The patterns of diversity within this plant group were significantly influenced by a series of environmental factors, including habitat disjunction, vicariance, and long-distance dispersal events. A key finding of the study was the impact of WGD at the inception of Maleae evolution. The retention of gene copies post-WGD demonstrated a strong phylogenetic signal, suggesting a pivotal role in the diversification process. Representing the most extensive taxon sampling undertaken to date, the study sheds light on the complex biogeographic history of Maleae. It also reveals evidence of genus-specific diploidization following WGD, highlighting the intricate evolutionary dynamics within this significant plant group.