An international collaboration uncovers the pangenome and panphenome of eggplanthénome de l'aubergine

The analysis of a large global collection of 3400 eggplant (Solanum melongena) accessions and their wild relatives allowed the reconstruction of the species’ domestication in India and Southeast Asia, followed by its worldwide expansion. Sequencing of 368 accessions representative of global genetic and phenotypic diversity enabled the construction of a complete graph-based pangenome. The “core” genome of eggplant comprises ~16300 gene families, while ~4000 families are “dispensable.” Analysis of 218 traits -including agronomic characteristics, resistance to (a)biotic stresses, and fruit metabolic composition- was conducted in three field trials in Spain, Italy, and Turkey. These analyses revealed candidate genes associated with three major traits: i) LOG3, linked to prickle formation, ii) RPP13-type genes and an AT-hook motif protein (AHL) involved in resistance to Fusarium wilt, iii) a GDSL-lipase gene involved in chlorogenic acid metabolism. This unique dataset constitutes a reference resource to identify the genetic bases of other traits and will guide more targeted selection of eggplant varieties adapted to diverse environments.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64866-1