Structuration of the genetic and metabolite diversity among Prince Edward Island cultivated wild rose ecotypes

Wild roses are widespread throughout North America but it is only recently that commercial interests have increased worldwide for rosehip products. Rosehip production under field conditions is new for North American wild roses and the cultivated materials are not well characterized. Despite recent phylogenetic studies on North American roses, micro-evolutionary studies at regional level in terms of genetic and metabolite diversity are scarce. We have characterized 30 wild rose ecotypes collected from different regions Prince Edward Island using microsatellite (SSR) markers, SNP of the chloroplast trnaL intron and the nuclear gene GAPDH, ploidy determination as well as the metabolite profiling for major phenolics and fatty acids. A total of 244 SSR alleles, with an average of 12.2 per marker were observed. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged between 0.00 and 0.97, with an average of 0.70. Cluster analysis showed three main clusters, cluster 3 showing the greatest diversity. Within each cluster, the ecotypes also showed large metabolite diversity, reflective of their genetic diversity. The data suggests the potential for the cultivation of a given ecotype for its unique metabolite profile or it incorporation in breeding programs. The ploidy and phylogenetic studies showed that all 30 ecotypes were tetraploid and that the collection is consisted of Rosa virginiana and its natural hybrids with Rosa carolina.

► Metabolite diversity in 30 wild rosehip is reflective of ecotypes genetic diversity.
► A 30 wild rose collection as a new rosehip production and breeding genetic resource.
► Tetraploidy as a common feature for 30 wild rose ecotypes from Prince Edward Island.
► Micro-evolutionary genetics unraveled from 30 wild rose ecotypes.