Hyun-Jun KangP, Yun-Gyeong Choi, Sang-Hun Oh

Department of Biology, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea

Seed dispersal is a key process of the gene flow resulting in patterns of intraspecific genetic variation. The genus Viburnum exhibits pronounced interspecific variation in fruit color and maturation patterns, which makes an excellent case to test the relationship between dispersal patterns and genetic structure within a species. Some species produce red fruits in maturity, while others develop into red, as an intermediate stage, and become in black when fully matured. In this study, we examined genetic structure of V. sargentii, which produces red fruits matured at the same time. Individuals of V. sargentii were collected from selected natural populations in Korea and China, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data were generated using a genotyping by sequencing (GBS) approach. These data were used to assess population-level genetic diversity and population structure. In addition, haplotype analyses of chloroplast DNA were conducted to examine haplotype diversity and phylogeographic patterns. A total of 30,312 SNPs were generated following GBS filtering. Genetic diversity was generally high across populations, and most populations exhibited admixed genetic compositions, except for several southern populations in the Korean Peninsula. Levels of inbreeding and genetic differentiation among populations were low, suggesting that there are no significant barriers for gene flow among populations. Analysis of three concatenated chloroplast DNA regions identified seven haplotypes, most of which were shared among geographically distant populations. These patterns suggest that long distance dispersal of the seeds should have occurred across the continental East Asia in V. sargentii.