ddRADseq analyses of Zea mays landraces from Argentina
This study evaluates the conservation status of maize landraces native from Argentina assessing 87 accessions preserved at the Germplasm Bank of the National Institute of Agriculture Technology (Pergamino, Argentina), employing ddRADseq. The main questions that this study aims to answer are: which are the genetically distinguishable conservation units of maize landraces from Argentina? What is their conservation status according to the genetic Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) proposed by Hoban et al. (2022)? Do these maize show genomic signatures of selection which would suggest local adaptation? How would these maize be distributed in the world under future climate scenarios? The results of this work indicate that the long-term diversity of maize landraces of Northern Argentina is compromised, and that more active conservation policies are advisable.