@article{fdi:010069992,
  title = {{D}iversity of {A}lgerian oases date palm ({P}hoenix dactylifera {L}., {A}recaceae) : heterozygote excess and cryptic structure suggest farmer management had a major impact on diversity},
  author = {{M}oussouni, {S}. and {P}intaud, {J}ean-{C}hristophe and {V}igouroux, {Y}ves and {B}ouguedoura, {N}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{D}ate palm ({P}hoenix dactylifera{L}.) is the mainstay of oasis agriculture in the {S}aharan region. {I}t is cultivated in a large part of the {M}editerranean coastal area of the {S}ahara and in most isolated oases in the {A}lgerian desert. {W}e sampled 10 oases in {A}lgeria to understand the structure of date palm diversity from the coastal area to a very isolated desert location. {W}e used 18 microsatellite markers and a chloroplast minisatellite to characterize 414 individual palm trees corresponding to 114 named varieties. {W}e found a significant negative inbreeding coefficient, suggesting active farmer selection for heterozygous individuals. {T}hree distinct genetic clusters were identified, a ubiquitous set of varieties found across the different oases, and two clusters, one of which was specific to the northern area, and the other to the drier southern area of the {A}lgerian {S}ahara. {T}he ubiquitous cluster presented very striking chloroplast diversity, signing the frequency of haplotypes found in {S}audi {A}rabia, the most eastern part of the date palm range. {E}xchanges of {M}iddle {E}astern and {A}lgerian date palms are known to have occurred and could have led to the introduction of this particular chlorotype. {H}owever, {A}lgerian nuclear diversity was not of eastern origin. {O}ur study strongly suggests that the peculiar chloroplastic diversity of date palm is maintained by farmers and could originate from date palms introduced from the {M}iddle {E}ast a long time ago, which since then, hasbeen strongly introgressed. {T}his study illustrates the complex structure of date palm diversity in {A}lgerian oases and the role of farmers in shaping such cryptic diversity.},
  keywords = {{ALGERIE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {O}ne},
  volume = {12},
  numero = {4},
  pages = {e0175232 [14 p.]},
  ISSN = {1932-6203},
  year = {2017},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pone.0175232},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010069992},
}