Molecular evidence in Manilkara (Sapotaceae): a review of genetic diversity, population structure, phylogeny, and conservation

Bravo E. · Ecological Genetics and Genomics (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.egg.2026.100476

Resumen

Manilkara (Sapotaceae) comprises pantropical tree species of great ecological and socioeconomic value; however, molecular evidence for the genus still shows a clear taxonomic and geographic bias. This review identified a clear progression in the methodologies adopted, from initial dominant PCR-based markers, such as RAPD, to more informative codominant approaches and sequencing using nuclear SSRs, chloroplast SSRs, cpDNA regions, ITS, plastome sequences, and targeted nuclear phylogenomic datasets. SSRs have been the most effective for assessing intraspecific diversity and population structure, plastid markers have been used to track maternal inheritance and phylogeographic patterns, and ITS has primarily informed nuclear phylogenetic relationships. However, the accumulated literature focuses on a few species, namely Manilkara huberi , Manilkara multifida , Manilkara zapota, Manilkara hexandra, Manilkara maxima, Manilkara kauki, and Manilkara littoralis, while many taxa and regions are underrepresented. Similarly, other limitations include marked heterogeneity in sampling strategies, inconsistent methodological parameters, and weak integration of molecular data with ecological, spatial, and phenotypic information; all these shortcomings currently restrict the ability to make more robust inferences about the demographic history, adaptation, and conservation units of Manilkara species. Thus, future research should prioritize greater taxonomic and geographic coverage, standardized sampling linked to reference specimens, and the integration of morphological, ecological, and landscape-level data using new technologies. All of this is intended to advance conservation planning, the resolution of evolutionary relationships, and the management of sustainability and reproductive opportunities in Manilkara .

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas