S01 - Session O3 - Phylogeny and evolutionary history for breeding and pre-breeding

Authors: Valéry Malecot *

The selection of parental accessions, including unadapted ones, is a key step in breeding or pre-breeding. Usually, we identify wild relatives and material for breeding or pre-breeding on the basis of names and availability in genebanks. However, taxonomic knowledge, which is part of the foundation of scientific names, switches from morphological basis towards molecular information, and from empirical approaches towards phylogenetic and networks methods. Few previous works have shown that phylogeny may be suitable information for breeders. Here we will show that the way in which a phylogeny is produced, may create bias. In addition, other historical information is relevant when crossing groups/gene pools (sensu Halan & de Wet) need to be identified. The methodology presented also shows that each new genus for which breeding may be initiated, should be well known, particularly regarding its evolutionary history, before selecting taxa or methods for breeding.