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W. Korani

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Open access Aug 2026

Long-read low-pass sequencing enhances variant detection in a peanut MAGIC population

Abstract Accurate genotyping accelerates crop improvement, yet long-read sequencing remains underused in breeding due to cost. We present a scalable long-read low-pass (LRLP) sequencing framework for high-throughput variant discovery and trait mapping. Using PacBio HiFi reads in an allotetraploid peanut (Arachis hypogaea; AABB, 2n = 4x = 40) MAGIC population, we generated both LRLP and short-read low-pass (SRLP) data. At comparable depths, LRLP achieved substantially greater whole-genome and gene–space coverage than SRLP. Data were analyzed using both a single-reference genome and an 18-parent pangenome graph constructed with KhufuPan, a new tool for graph-based genotyping. Across analytical approaches, LRLP consistently identified more SNPs, indels (2–1,000 bp), and structural variants (>1 kb) than SRLP, improving genotype resolution and selection accuracy, particularly for large structural variants. By reducing cost barriers and increasing variant discovery in complex genomes, LRLP provides a practical path for deploying advanced genomics in under-resourced and orphan crops critical to global food security.

Kendall Lee, W. Korani, S. Pokhrel et al. · 0 citations
Open access Jul 2026

Assembly of Silphium interspecific hybrid genomes opens the genus to phylogenomics, ecogenomics, and molecular breeding

Wild perennial plants can be domesticated to make agriculture more diverse and resilient, but many have large genomes that have been recalcitrant to analysis. Here, we report phased genome assemblies for Silphium integrifolium Michx. and S. perfoliatum L., two species native to North America under domestication, and demonstrate the utility of trio-binning for genome assembly using an interspecific hybrid. These genomes have chromosomes reaching 1.8 Gb and a helical structure preserved during interphase with a loop circumference of 43 Mb. A genome-informed low coverage and target sequencing strategy enables the refinement of the genus phylogeny, reveals the spatial distribution and structure of natural populations, and identifies 81 loci associated with environmental and domestication traits. Variants in a MATE transporter, α/β hydrolase, and ortholog of Arabidopsis ACT Domain Repeat (ACR4) protein explain significant variance in floral architecture. These advances in genome assembly and genotyping could expand the range of candidates for de novo crop domestication. Silphium species native to North American prairies show strong drought tolerance. This study presents a haplotype-phased genome of a hybrid between S. integrifolium (oilseed crop) and S. perfoliatum (biomass/fiber crop), identifying loci linked to environmental adaptation and domestication.

Renan Souza, J. Clevenger, Jerry W. Jenkins et al. · 1 citation

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