A graph-based pangenome reveals the genetic basis of climate-resilient and horticultural traits in pear

Abstract Climate change poses an increasing threat to the cultivation of deciduous fruit trees, placing greater demands on modern pear breeding. Using pear germplasm adapted to diverse environments, we assembled 11 chromosome-level genomes. In combination with 13 publicly accessible pear genomes, we analyzed presence-absence variations (PAVs) and constructed a graph-based pangenome for pear. By performing a PAV-eQTL analysis of the fruit of 123 pear accessions, we identified PAVs significantly associated with expression levels of genes that may be involved in regulating agronomic traits. Population analysis of 268 pear accessions revealed two stop-gained variants in DAM1 of independent origin, which may function in advancing the blooming date and reducing the chilling requirement. We detected complex PAVs at the NOR1 locus, including two copy-number variations and one deletion. These PAVs contributed to the rapid diversification of the NOR1 locus and the fruit development period through regulating ARF5 and other ripening-related genes. We revealed the selection history of the NOR1 locus and developed novel pear individuals that accumulated alleles for low chilling requirement, early blooming date, and short fruit development period. The results provide valuable resources for pear genomics research and offer a guideline for breeding modern pears with climate resilience. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.