RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Population structure of the Brachypodium species complex and genome wide association of agronomic traits in response to climate JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 246074 DO 10.1101/246074 A1 Pip Wilson A1 Jared Streich A1 Kevin Murray A1 Steve Eichten A1 Riyan Cheng A1 Niccy Aitkin A1 Kurt Spokas A1 Norman Warthmann A1 Accession Contributors A1 Justin Borevitz YR 2018 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/01/11/246074.abstract AB The development of model systems requires a detailed assessment of standing genetic variation across natural populations. The Brachypodium species complex has been promoted as a plant model for grass genomics with translational to small grain and biomass crops. To capture the genetic diversity within this species complex, thousands of Brachypodium accessions from around the globe were collected and sequenced using genotyping by sequencing (GBS). Overall, 1,897 samples were classified into two diploid or allopolyploid species and then further grouped into distinct inbred genotypes. A core set of diverse B. distachyon diploid lines were selected for whole genome sequencing and high resolution phenotyping. Genome-wide association studies across simulated seasonal environments was used to identify candidate genes and pathways tied to key life history and agronomic traits under current and future climatic conditions. A total of 8, 22 and 47 QTLs were identified for flowering time, early vigour and energy traits, respectively. Overall, the results highlight the genomic structure of the Brachypodium species complex and allow powerful complex trait dissection within this new grass model species.