High-throughput sequencing data clarify evolutionary relationships among North American Vitis species and improve identification in USDA Vitis germplasm collections

The study was conducted to evaluate the genetic diversity, structure, and relatedness of wild grapevine species material preserved at the UDSA ARS grapevine germplasms. We used genome wide SNPs developed from genotyping by sequencing methods, coupled with phylogenetic analysis to uncover the underlying genetic diversity of the samples. This study is relevant for two aspects; clarifying the evolutionary relationships within the genus Vitis, and helping to curate the current species designations used in the USDA-GRIN system for grapevine.