A reference genome assembly of the alpine forage grass Elymus nutans

Dan Chang; Shangang Jia; Ming Sun; Tao Huang; Huanhuan Lu; Jiajun Yan; Changbing Zhang; Minghong You; Peifen Zhang; Lijun Yan; Wenlong Gou; Xiong Lei; Xiaofei Ji; Yingzhu Li; Decai Mao; Qi Wu; Ping Li; Hongkun Zheng; Xiao Ma; Xuebin Yan; Quanlan Liu; Xiaofan He; Wengang Xie; Daxu Li; Shiqie Bai

doi:10.1111/pbi.70117

Plant BiologyPlant Biotechnology JournalJun 18, 2025

Peer-reviewed journal article

A reference genome assembly of the alpine forage grass Elymus nutans

Dan Chang iD, Shangang Jia iD, Ming Sun iD, Tao Huang iD, Huanhuan Lu, Jiajun Yan iD, Changbing Zhang iD, Minghong You iD, Peifen Zhang iD, Lijun Yan iD, Wenlong Gou iD, Xiong Lei iD, Xiaofei Ji iD, Yingzhu Li iD, Decai Mao, Qi Wu iD, Ping Li iD, Hongkun Zheng iD, Xiao Ma iD, Xuebin Yan iD, Quanlan Liu iD, Xiaofan He, Wengang Xie iD, Daxu Li, Shiqie Bai iD

Abstract

Elymus nutans Griseb. (Poaceae: Triticeae, 2n=6x=42) is a dominant perennial plant species in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China, which is an important forage resource in high-altitude and cold regions and is the most popular species used for high yield artificial grassland planting because of its rich nutritional value and good palatability for herbivorous ruminant animals. In this study, using advanced sequencing technology, we generated an allohexaploid reference genome for E. nutans, representing the three sets of chromosomes (subgenomes St, Y, and H). This is the first study to our knowledge to confirm the origin of the Y subgenome, which shares a close relationship with the V subgenome. We predict that E. nutans arose via two-step hybridization and that its speciation occurred [~]3.16 MYA. The whole genome in this study will update the Triticeae family genomics information and provide theoretical basis for the evolutionary of its related speicies.

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