Evaluating two different models of peanut’s origin

Abstract

Multiple lines of evidence indicate a recent (<10,000 years ago)origin of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and provide a foundation forunderstanding the evolution of this important crop1,2. However,recently, a manuscript presented results incompatible with thisunderstanding, reporting much older polyploidization (~450,000years ago) and, furthermore, questioning the species identity ofone of the diploid ancestors3. By performing new chromosomescale comparisons, we identify the inappropriate parameter,thus falsifying the model of older polyploidization. Our analysesconfirm both the age of polyploidization as <10,000 years and theidentity of the two peanut ancestral species as Arachis duranensisand Arachis ipaensis