Genetic diversity and fruit phytochemical variation in wild cherry (Prunus microcarpa): implications for conservation and germplasm utilization.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Wild cherry (Prunus microcarpa) is an ecologically and horticulturally important wild Prunus species; however, increasing environmental stress, habitat degradation, and climate change threaten its genetic diversity and natural populations. Studies integrating molecular diversity and fruit phytochemical composition in this species remain limited. This study investigated the genetic diversity and fruit metabolite composition of 14 naturally occurring P. microcarpa accessions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Conserved DNA-derived polymorphism (CDDP) markers were used to evaluate genetic variation, while spectrophotometric assays and LC-MS/MS analyses were applied to characterize antioxidant activity, total phenolics, flavonoids, and individual bioactive compounds. Our findings revealed substantial genetic and phytochemical diversity among the studied accessions. WRKY-R2 and WRKY-R2B primers exhibited the highest polymorphism and effectively resolved the accessions into five distinct genetic groups. Considerable variation was observed in total phenolic, flavonoid, and antioxidant contents among accessions. LC-MS/MS analysis identified chlorogenic acid, rutin, nicotiflorin, astragalin, and several phenolic acids as the dominant metabolites, with AC12 and AC13 showing the richest phytochemical profiles. Multivariate analyses further demonstrated clear metabolic differentiation among accessions and partially corresponded with the observed genetic structure. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first integrated characterization of genetic diversity and fruit phytochemical composition in wild P. microcarpa populations using functional molecular markers and metabolomic profiling. The findings establish important baseline data for future conservation, phytochemical exploitation, and breeding applications in wild Prunus species.
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