The pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. ‘Wonderful’) genome and P. protopunica shed light on pomegranate domestication. Is Daru a wild stock?

Our findings suggest that differences in chromosome numbers may be associated with the formation of chromosome quadrivalents and their impact on the arrangement of contigs into pseudochromosomes. The profile of Kn to Ks ratio in domesticated pomegranates likely reflects positive selection. Genetic profiling of Daru, domesticated P. granatum, and wild-type P. protopunica revealed that Daru more closely resembles domesticated plants, challenging the notion that it represents the wild pomegranate.