Domestication Genomics of Grapes

Plant domestication modifies a wild species genetically for human use. Among thousands of domesticated plants, a major distinction is the difference between annual and perennial life cycles. The domestication of perennials is expected to follow different processes than annuals, with distinct genetic outcomes. Here we examine grape domestication from a population genetics perspective, with a focus on three issues: genetic bottlenecks during domestication, genomic footprints of artificial selection, and genetic load. These three issues have been studied nominally in major annual crops but even less extensively in perennials.