Mesoamerican origin of European cherimoyas (Annona cherimola Mill.)

Abstract Cherimoya ( Annona cherimola ) is a Neotropical fruit tree distributed in subtropical regions of the Americas from Mexico to Chile, typically above 900–1000 m above sea level with the highest diversity found in Mesoamerica. Cherimoya is believed to have arrived to Spain in the 18th century and subsequently spread to other parts of southern Europe. In this study, we analyzed the genetic structure of American and European cherimoyas using highly polymorphic SSR markers to investigate the species’ transcontinental history. Our results confirm Central America, particularly Mexico, as the primary source of European cherimoyas and provide new evidence clarifying dispersal routes within Europe (Italy, Portugal, and Spain). These findings extend previous studies by directly testing the origin of the European germplasm and highlight the role of Mexico as the main bridge in the species’ introduction to the Old World.