Population genomic diversity and regional structure of lima bean ( <i>Phaseolus lunatus</i> L.) germplasm in Brazil
Abstract Lima bean ( Phaseolus lunatus L.) is a crop of substantial social and economic importance, particularly in Brazilian smallholder agriculture. However, key knowledge gaps remain regarding the genomic diversity and population structure of the germplasm cultivated in Brazil. Here, we characterised 46 representative Brazilian accessions using single nucleotide polymorphism markers generated by genotyping‐by‐sequencing. The results revealed moderate genomic diversity, relatively high inbreeding and a clear pattern of regional population structure. The Southeast and Northeast populations exhibited the greatest allelic richness, while the South region contained the highest number of private alleles, highlighting distinct genetic resources. Population structure and clustering analyses identified well‐defined regional subgroups, consistent with historical dispersal routes. Regional differentiation shows that the genomic diversity of lima bean in Brazil is both heterogeneous and moderately structured. From an applied perspective, these findings support breeding strategies that combine Northeastern accessions with the unique alleles identified in the South. More broadly, this study highlights the value of expanded genomic analyses to clarify the species' evolutionary history and to guide the sustainable use of Brazilian germplasm.
Authors
- Gérson do Nascimento Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3040-2292)
- Maria Imaculada Zucchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4863-1843)
- María Isabel Sánchez
- Ana Flávia Francisconi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5273-5840)
- João Victor da Silva Rabelo Araujo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5923-3253)
- José Baldin Pinheiro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1294-2081)
- Gabriel Viana Ferraz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4243-6780)
- Gabriela Corrêa Morais (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9532-9057)
- Marcones Ferreira Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8210-2673)
- Regina Lúcia Ferreira Gomes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7700-6959)
- M. L. Burle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3494-4475)
- Vanessa Gomes de Moura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2692-3383)
- Ângela Celis de Almeida Lopes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9546-5403)
- Josieli Lima da Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2842-5898)
- Caroline Bertocco Garcia
- Verônica Brito da Silva
Institutions
- Sugarcane Research Center (Brazil) (BR)
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR)
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (BR)
- Universidade Federal do Piauí (BR)
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia (CO)
- Methodist University of Piracicaba (BR)
- Forest Science and Research Institute (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Annals of Applied Biology
- Published
- 2026-06-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70141
- Primary Topic
- Plant pathogens and resistance mechanisms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico