ddRAD-seq generated genomic SNP dataset of Central and Southeast European Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) populations

Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) is one of the most ecologically and economically significant deciduous tree species in the Central and Southeast European regions. The species has long been known to exhibit high levels of genetic and phenotypic variation. Recent climate response predictions for Turkey oak suggest a significant distribution extension in Europe under climate change. Since Turkey oak has relative drought-tolerant behavior, it is regarded as a potential alternative for other forest tree species during forestry climate adaptation efforts, not only in its native regions but also in Western Europe. For this reason, the survey of existing genetic variability, genetic resources, and adaptability of this species has great significance. Next-generation sequencing approaches, such as ddRAD-seq (Double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing), allow the attainment of high-resolution genome-wide simple nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This study provides the first highly variable genome-wide SNP data for Turkey oak generated by ddRAD-seq. The dataset comprises 17 607 de novo and 26 059 reference-mapped SNPs for 88 individuals from eight populations, two from Bulgaria, one from Kosovo, and five from Hungary. Reference mapping was carried out by using cork oak’s reference genome. The obtained high-resolution genome-wide markers are suitable for investigating selection and local adaptation and inferring genetic diversity, differentiation, and population structure. The dataset is accessible at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8091252