Open Durum Genome Project Tunisia
Published April 10, 2026 | Version v1
Publication Open

From Local Heritage to Genomic Innovation: Whole-Genome Sequencing of Tunisian Durum Wheat Landraces Chili and Mahmoudi

Authors/Creators

  • 1. ROR icon University of Sfax
  • 2. ROR icon Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Sfax
  • 3. Functional Genomics and Plant Physiology Laboratory, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Sfax, BP "1175" 3038 Sfax, Tunisia
  • 4. ROR icon Banque Nationale de Gènes
  • 5. National Gene Bank of Tunisia
  • 6. ROR icon Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax

Description

Here, we report the whole-genome sequences of two emblematic Tunisian landraces, Mahmoudi (Arabic: محمّودي) and Chili (Arabic: شيلي/ شلي). Selected over generations by farmers, these landraces combine resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses with strong adaptation to Southern Mediterranean climates. Beyond their agronomic value, Mahmoudi and Chili are deeply embedded in culinary traditions and regional identity, supporting smallholder livelihoods through exceptional grain quality, short supply chains, and artisanal processing. We anticipate that these genome sequences will catalyze research at a time when local landraces, largely displaced since the early twentieth century by high-yielding modern cultivars which suffer substantial genetic erosion, are now confined mainly to marginal farming systems. Renewed interest in climate-resilient crops highlights their potential as strategic resources for future durum wheat breeding. To accelerate discovery, we launched the Durum Genome Project Tunisia (DurumGPT), an open-science consortium dedicated to sharing genomic data, fostering collaboration, and raising awareness of Tunisia’s genetic heritage. We release these whole-genome datasets without restriction through the OpenDurumGPT Community. We actively encourage analyses, feedback, and contributions from the community. The raw sequencing data are made available via NCBI/Genbank under BioProject PRJNA1420514

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Additional details

Related works

Is source of
Dataset: PRJNA1420514 (Other)

Dates

Accepted
2026-04-11
Genome announcement