The draft genome of Tibetan hulless barley reveals adaptive patterns to the high stressful Tibetan Plateau

Significance The draft genome of Tibetan hulless barley provides a robust framework to better understand Poaceae evolution and a substantial basis for functional genomics of crop species with a large genome. The expansion of stress-related gene families in Tibetan hulless barley implies that it could be considered as an invaluable gene resource aiding stress tolerance improvement in Triticeae crops. Genome resequencing revealed extensive genetic diversity in Tibetan barley germplasm and divergence to sequenced barley genomes from other geographical regions. Investigation of genome-wide selection footprints demonstrated an adaptive correlation of genes under selection with extensive stressful environmental variables. These results reveal insights into the adaptation of Tibetan hulless barley to harsh environments on the highland and will facilitate future genetic improvement of crops.