Tudor‐Mihai Ursu

Genomic forecasting links climate-associated variation to spring phenology in the European wild apple, a crop wild relative of the cultivated apple

The paper tests if climate-associated genomic variation predicts phenotypic adaptation in European wild apple, finding genomic offsets link to bud-break timing but not other traits.

Conserved transcriptional plasticity, not local adaptation, dominates early climate responses across wild and cultivated apples

This study shows that conserved transcriptional plasticity, not local adaptation, is the main molecular response to climate variation in apples.

Domestication altered defense responses and host-aphid interaction networks in apples

This study shows domestication altered apple defense responses and host-aphid interaction networks, with cultivated apples showing stronger inducible defenses and higher aphid performance.

Gene flow from the European wild apple and selection shaped the domesticated apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) genome

This study uses genome and transcriptome data from apple species to show how selection and gene flow shaped the cultivated apple genome, revealing distinct gene pools and adaptive introgression patterns.